<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Blue Eyes and Broken Hearts by TheRealDanniX</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558210">Blue Eyes and Broken Hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRealDanniX/pseuds/TheRealDanniX'>TheRealDanniX</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Derek Hale, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Claudia Stilinski Feels, Claudia Stilinski Memories, Dead Claudia Stilinski, Derek Hale is Not a Failwolf, Derek Hale is a Softie, Erica Reyes &amp; Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Everyone Is Alive, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Morally Ambiguous Stiles Stilinski, Mutual Pining, Not Canon Compliant, Oblivious Stiles Stilinski, Pack Mom Stiles Stilinski, Panic Attacks, Post-Season/Series 01 AU, Scott McCall is a Bad Friend, Sheriff Stilinski Knows, Slow Burn, Stiles Stilinski is Part of the Hale Pack, Warning: Gerard Argent, Warning: Kate Argent, Werewolf Mates, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, eventually, like at all, like glacial</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:54:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>37,705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558210</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRealDanniX/pseuds/TheRealDanniX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter bites Stiles against his will after he tracks Derek. An ADHD Werewolf is already a problem, but one with blue eyes is a bigger one. Add on to that his Mother's secrets coming to light, and Stiles is going to have a hell of a time just trying to graduate on time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chris Argent &amp; Peter Hale, Chris Argent &amp; Sheriff Stilinski, Derek Hale &amp; Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey &amp; Stiles Stilinski, Past Peter Hale/Sheriff Stilinski/Chris Argent, Sheriff Stilinski &amp; Stiles Stilinski, Vernon Boyd/Erica Reyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>206</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1668</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bite Marks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! I am back with a new fandom!</p><p>This is my first work in the Teen Wolf fandom and I'm not going to pretend that it's not at all canon-compliant. Basically, I just took the parts I liked to write a slow burn with Sterek. So, Please read below for a few things that will make this a bit easier to understand what I've changed. I'll update tags as I go</p><p>1) Stiles is 17 in season 1. Because I say so and because it makes him a better age for the back story I gave him.<br/>2) Peter is ~20 years older than Derek and was Talia's left hand in the Pack.<br/>3) The blue eyes are different from the show. In the show, they mean that the wolf killed an innocent. What they mean in my story is both more specific and more general. it's explained in the story.<br/>4) there are situations where a wolf can kill someone and their eyes stay gold. it's also explained in the story. </p><p>CW: Assisted Suicide: SPOILERS BELOW</p><p> </p><p>  Stiles helps his mom overdose on pain killers after she loses awareness because of dementia. His Dad was aware of what he did and even admits that it's what Claudia wanted, but the Sheriff wasn't able to do it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>         Peter Hale was a crazy bastard, but Stiles didn’t hate him until after he was already dead. He didn’t really have time to. The second it happened he wanted to stop and just curse Peter Hale with everything in him, but he had to make sure Lydia was okay. And he had to make sure that Scott didn’t do something stupid. So, he did what he usually did with his personal problems, and he ignored it. After he and Jackson set Peter on fire (again), he knew that the bite wasn’t going to kill him. He knew because he felt his eyes flash in response to Derek’s new Alpha eyes. He didn’t think anyone else saw it though, so it wasn’t really happening. He had some time to figure it out before the full moon. Plenty of time. All he had to do was keep Scott from finding out before then. Should be easy. Scott was oblivious. Unfortunately, the new Alpha was not. The second Stiles got home from their epic showdown with Peter, he collapsed in bed. He woke up two hours later to a pair of red eyes staring at him from his window. His eyes flashed again. He knew they were blue, not gold. Derek tilted his head. “What happened Stiles?” Derek asked.</p><p>         “What do you think happened?” Stiles snapped back. He turned on his desk lamp.</p><p>         Derek was unimpressed. <em>“Stiles.” </em>He raised an eyebrow.</p><p>         “Your uncle bit me when he kidnapped me to help him find you. Against my will, if that part wasn’t clear. It wasn’t just he didn’t ask for permission. He asked me and then ignored my answer.” Stiles glared at him.</p><p>         “Your eyes are blue.”</p><p>         “I know that, dude.” Stiles fell back on his bed. “And before you get anymore pissy, I know what it means too. Don’t think I didn’t do research on pack dynamics when I was researching back when Scott got bit.”</p><p>         “You’ve known the whole time?” There was something odd in the tone of his voice.</p><p>         “It was part of the reason I was so convinced you were the one killing people when this whole mess started,” Stiles muttered, slapping a pillow over his face. “Sorry about that, by the way.”</p><p>         “Then you know what it means to be an omega too.” Stiles pulled the pillow away to see Derek staring down at him, hovering at the side of the bed. “You need a pack. You and Scott both.”</p><p>         Stiles frowned at him. “Not gonna say you’re wrong, ‘cause I know you’re not, but why the hell would you want me in your pack? Scott, I get. But me? Not only do I have eyes that mark me as a murderer, but I’m also ADHD and I’m pretty sure being a werewolf isn’t gonna change the fact that I’m clumsy as hell.”</p><p>         “You need a pack,” Derek said again, though it was more of a growl.</p><p>         “Yeah and I’ll find one.” Stiles shrugged. “Or I’ll make sure I’m not a threat to anybody if I can’t. You have nothing to worry about, Sourwolf. I won’t be a threat to you and your new pack. So, if that’s what you’re worried about, it’s fine. This part of your uncle’s craziness isn’t gonna cause any more problems. Go offer Scott his place in your pack.”</p><p>         “Your eyes are going to make it hard to find a pack.”</p><p>         “I know that.”</p><p>         <em>“Stiles.” </em>His eyes flashed red. “I’m offering you a pack.”</p><p>         Stiles’ eyebrows scrunched together. “Why?” Derek didn’t answer, just raised his eyebrows expectantly. “No seriously, why? Once Scott knows what these,” Stiles flashed his eyes again (on purpose this time, which he was just a little proud of), “mean, he’s not gonna want anything to do with me. If I’m in your pack, Scott won’t be.”</p><p>         “You need a pack,” Derek repeated. Stiles glared at him in disbelief.</p><p>         “You really want me in your pack? Prove it,” Stiles growled. He got to his feet. Then after making sure that he had Derek’s attention, he tilted his neck and forced his eyes to the ground, submitting to the Alpha. Calling his bluff. It was a bit shocking to feel Derek’s hand on his neck, accepting him. He felt the tug of something in his gut that he thought must be the pack bond snapping into place. He looked up at Derek with wide eyes. The Alpha had a smug look on his face. Stiles opened his mouth, but, for once, he had no words.</p><p>         “Get some sleep, Stiles,” Derek muttered. He was out the window before Stiles had gathered himself enough to respond.</p><p>____________________________________________________________</p><p>         Stiles spent the rest of his weekend at the hospital waiting for news on Lydia. It wasn’t his best decision, especially as his senses got stronger, but he needed to make sure Lydia was okay and make sure she wasn’t going to die from the bite that Peter gave her. This meant that he was there when Lydia disappeared. He gave the best description he could to his dad before being sent home. Then he stole something that seemed strong with her scent and called Scott. He wanted to call Derek to, but he hadn’t seen or heard from the new Alpha since being accepted into his pack. Plus, he didn’t have the guys phone number. It wasn’t surprising when Allison showed up not long after Scott. What was surprising, for Stiles anyways, was when she drew her bow and aimed an arrow at his heart. “Allison, what are you doing?” Scott demanded. Stiles didn’t move and could help but notice that Scott was doing nothing about the bow aimed at his supposed best friend.</p><p>         “I’m sorry Stiles, but Scott and I will track Lydia without you. My dad saw your eyes.” Allison’s voice was cold even as it shook a little.</p><p>         Scott turned his hurt puppy look on Stiles. “What’s she talking about? Stiles?”</p><p>         Stiles took a deep breath to keep his voice steady. “When Peter took me after the formal, he made me track Derek. After he knew where to go, he offered me the bite,” Stiles said. Outrage flared across his friend’s face. “I said no, Scott. I refused, but he bit me anyway. I didn’t know if it took or not until Derek became the Alpha and my eyes flashed.”</p><p>         “His eyes are blue, Scott,” Allison said, apparently impatient with Stiles’ explanation. “It means that he’s a killer.”</p><p>         “Stiles?” Scott was looking at him, waiting for denial or an explanation, but Stiles stayed silent. After all, she wasn’t exactly wrong. Scott went rigid. “Fine. Come on, Allison. We need to find Lydia.” Scott headed to Allison’s car. Allison followed, not lowering the bow until she was at the car door.</p><p>         “Don’t follow us, Stiles. I don’t want to have to hurt you.” Her voice was quiet. Stiles watched them leave, sighing as he did. Then, despite everything in him screaming at him to look for Lydia himself, he went home. Derek was waiting for him in his room. He frowned as Stiles let himself fall face-first onto his bed. After a few moments of not uncomfortable silence, Derek sighed.</p><p>         “What happened, Stiles?” he asked.</p><p>         Stiles turned his head to look at the lurking Alpha in his desk chair. “Allison’s Dad knows I’m a werewolf. He saw my eyes after Peter died. He told Allison. Allison told Scott. He didn’t take it well, which I knew he wouldn’t, but it still hurts. Also, Lydia Martin, who your uncle bit at the formal, has disappeared from the hospital in the middle of a shower after a very concerning scream. So, she’s probably a werewolf too. If she’s not, then I’m going to be genuinely surprised. Though why she’s disappearing now, I have no idea since it’s definitely not a full moon tonight. Scott and Allison are tracking her, but they definitely did not want my help if the arrows and death threats are anything to go by.” Stiles shrugged; a full-body thing that made his blanket fall off the bed. “Also, I don’t think the bite did anything for my ADHD except make it so that no matter how much Adderall I take, it won’t work.”</p><p>         “Werewolves have higher metabolisms. Human medicine doesn’t work on us. Neither does alcohol,” Derek explained.</p><p>         “Out of everything I said, that really wasn’t the most concerning bit.”</p><p>         “You said that Scott and Allison were tracking Lydia. Nothing I could do about anything else.” Derek shrugged.</p><p>         Stiles forced himself to sit up, shaking off his distraction to really look at his Alpha. “If you didn’t know about any of that what are you doing here?” Stiles frowned.</p><p>         “There’s an omega in town desecrating corpses. He scared a teammate of yours at the cemetery who saw his beta shift. Didn’t want you to be surprised by either of them.”</p><p>         “You don’t seem really concerned about that.”</p><p>         “There are more than enough hunters in town to take care of one omega. As for the teen…” Derek trailed off.</p><p>         “Who was it?”</p><p>         “Isaac Lahey.”</p><p>         “He’s a bench warmer, like me. He’s in my grade. Since you know his name, you obviously talked to him. Did you offer him the bite?” Stiles couldn’t hide the tension that was forming in his shoulders at the thought of a stranger joining their pack.</p><p>         “Not yet. I wouldn’t without talking to my pack.” Derek pointedly met his eyes.</p><p>         “Oh, well, that’s nice, I guess. Did you bite Jackson?”</p><p>         Derek nodded. “Before you were pack. He came back to the house after everyone else was gone. His body didn’t accept the bite as fast as yours.”</p><p>         “So, he could still die? I honestly don’t know how I feel about that.” Derek rolled his eyes. “But seriously, are there really only two options when you get bitten? You either become a werewolf or die?” Stiles let himself slid onto the floor, using the bed to prop himself up. Derek watched him, quiet for a while, working out an answer.</p><p>         “I don’t know for sure,” he said eventually. “I wasn’t taught things like that. I wasn’t taught how to be an alpha. Laura was.” Derek paused for a bit, and, although he was itching to talk, Stiles let the silence sit. He was learning that sometimes Derek just needed a bit longer to put the words together. “I was always meant to be a beta. Maybe Laura’s second, but never the alpha. My older brother Jacob was training with Peter to be her left hand, and I was taught by my dad how to be the second. Mom trained Laura. Jacob and Laura were the ones learning how to identify other supernaturals. The Second doesn’t normally handle that. They’re focused on maintaining peace in the pack and working with other packs in the area. I was taught enough to know how to see a threat but beyond that…” Derek trailed off.</p><p>         “Okay,” Stiles started, trying to be mindful of how hard Derek was trying to be open with him. “Okay. So, if they were learning about other supernaturals, that means that there had to be a bestiary of some sort that would catalog all the ones the pack has met in the past. And, while I admittedly don’t know much about Peter before the fire, even out of his mind, he was the kind to have seven back up plans, which means that there’s probably a copy of all the important books, like the bestiary somewhere. Probably more than one. Maybe even a digital copy. If we can find that, we can start getting ahead of these things.” Derek raised his eyebrows. “Beacon Hills is a freaking Hellmouth, and I know for a fact, things aren’t going to calm down now. We don’t have that kind of luck.” Derek’s face settled into something that looked like a reluctant agreement. Sensing a need for a lighter topic, Stiles cleared his throat. “So, about Isaac.”</p><p>         Derek sighed and leaned back in his chair. “There’s something off about him. I was following the scent of the omega when it crashed into the cemetery. It chased him into a grave and knocked the grave digger over. He was banged up a bit, but, after I explained everything, he was more concerned about how his dad was going to react than anything else.”</p><p>         “As much as I hate to say it, Jackson may know more about that.” He was met with a disbelieving quirk of eyebrows. “I’m serious. Jackson lives across from the Leheys. All I know about them is that the mother has been out of the picture and there was an older brother who died in the army.”</p><p>         “And apparently where they live.”</p><p>         “I know where everybody lives.”</p><p>         Derek looked at the ceiling. “I’m going to regret asking this, but why do you know that?”</p><p>         “I had a three-hour detention session where I had to sort forms in the school office, and I may have memorized the addresses. I guess that’s not everybody, just the people who’ve gone to Beacon Hills High School in the last ten years or have had a kid go there.” Stiles shrugged. Derek had a look on his face that Stiles was well acquainted with. “Yeah, I know. I’m weird.”</p><p>         “I didn’t say anything.”</p><p>         “You were thinking it. Anyways, back on topic. Isaac. Yeah, you should talk to Jackson about him. I may be out of line saying this, but even if you want to offer him the bite, I’d wait until after the full moon. If you didn’t have a pack, you wouldn’t want to wait cause everything I could find, which is admittedly not much, said that the first full moon as alpha is harder if they don’t have a pack. But you do have a pack. Well, sorta.” Stiles flailed a bit, gesturing at himself. “Enough of one that waiting would be better. Besides, you already have one new beta to worry about.” Derek stared at him a moment before nodding. “One more thing, Sourwolf.”</p><p>         “Don’t call me that,” Derek growled weakly. Stiles ignored him.</p><p>         “You need to find someplace to stay that isn’t your old house. If you’re gonna build a pack, you can’t do it out of abandoned buildings. You need a real place. Hell, if you’re set on the Preserve, I can help you work out the legal stuff to reclaim Hale property, but until then you need an apartment or something. If my Dad was in the know, I’d even offer one of our guest rooms.”</p><p>         “Tell your dad the truth and I’ll think about it.” Derek rose from the chair and was halfway out the window before Stiles could really understand what he was saying.</p><p>         “Wait! What?” Stiles yelped.</p><p>         “Tell him.” Then Derek was gone. The drama queen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Truth and Preperation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the chapter with the assisted death. Also talks about Paige's death. if you want to skip that part, it starts the cemetery and ends when Stiles call's Derek Sourwolf.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>         Stiles decided that once they found Lydia, he would tell his dad the truth of Beacon Hills. That was only partly because he wasn’t sure he’d see his dad before they found Lydia. The other part was it gave him time to work on his proof since he definitely wouldn’t be sleeping. In other words, his beta shift. Or at least enough of it to convince his dad he wasn’t crazy. So far, he’d managed to flash his eyes on command and even bring out the claws, but the full beta shift was eluding him. Unfortunately, the only people he could ask about it were Derek and Scott, and neither of them was really available to help with that kind of thing in the middle of the night even if they were both talking to him, which Scott definitely wasn’t. At about four in the morning, Stiles heard the call on the police radio (that he definitely didn’t have) go out for a dead body in the back of an ambulance getting attacked. He heard his dad respond, then, about twenty minutes later heard the calls for another ambulance to the same place. Lydia had been found, naked and cold but otherwise unhurt. So, Stiles, still unable to bring out the full shift and unwilling to go to sleep, took a seat at the kitchen table to wait for his dad. It didn’t take long for the Sheriff to stumble in. He took one look at Stiles and let out a long-suffering sigh. “God kid, what did you do now?” Noah let himself slide into the chair opposite his son.</p>
<p>         “Technically, I did exactly what you told me to the last time you saw me,” Stiles said quickly.</p>
<p>         “Then why do you look like you’re about to tell me you stole a car,” Noah said with a sharp look in his eyes.</p>
<p>         “Because there’s a lot I need to tell you about and I’m not sure how you’re gonna take it, but you need to know, now more than ever. I swear it’s nothing you’re going to have to arrest anyone for. Well, not really. You may want to, though.”</p>
<p>         “Stiles.”</p>
<p>         “Dad, you have to promise me you’ll wait until I’m done to say I’m crazy. I promise I can prove almost everything I’m about to tell, but you have to let me explain it.” Stiles wrung his hands together. “Promise.”</p>
<p>         “I promise, but Stiles I want the truth this time. The real truth.”</p>
<p>         “So, you remember when you found the body in the woods a few months ago and I said I was out there alone? Well, I wasn’t. Scott was with me and when he was trying to get out of the woods he got attacked and bitten by an Alpha werewolf.”</p>
<p>         “A werewolf?” Noah went to stand up. “I said the truth, Stiles.”</p>
<p>         “I’m telling you the truth, Dad.”</p>
<p>         “It’s late. If you’re not gonna be serious, I’m going to bed.”</p>
<p>         “Technically, it’s late enough that it’s actually early, but that’s neither here nor there. What matters is I am being serious. Totally and one hundred percent serious. I told you I can prove it. Just-just watch.”</p>
<p>         “Stiles,” his father warned. Before he could overthink it too much, Stiles tried to shift. Unlike the other hundred times, he’d attempted the shift in the past day, it actually happened. It felt both weird and natural at the same time as he shifted. Noah moved so fast, he knocked over his chair staggering back away from the table. “What the hell?” Stiles felt himself shift back, but he kept his eyes blue.  The Sheriff just stared at him for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. “Werewolves?”</p>
<p>         “Werewolves,” Stiles agreed, letting his eyes fade. “Can I tell you about it or do you need time to freak out about it?”</p>
<p>         “Tell me about it so I can freak about it all at once.” Noah righted his chair and took his seat again. “And afterward, I’m eating a bacon cheeseburger and fries for lunch and you don’t get to say a word.” Stiles opened his mouth to complain. “Not a word. Now tell me about the damn werewolves.” So, Stiles did. He explained about the Hale fire and Kate Argent. Then he explained about Peter Hale and all the people he’d killed. He showed his father where Peter had forced the bite on him, even though it had been healed for a while. Then he tried to explain Derek, which was considerably harder than everything else. Especially since he still didn’t understand his Alpha all that well. When he finally got everything out, they just sat there for a while.</p>
<p>         “On the upside, you don’t have to get me anymore Adderall,” Stiles said, trying to lighten things.</p>
<p>         “Only because it won’t work. Instead, I get to deal with a hyperactive werewolf,” Noah muttered. He ran his hand over his face. “Your mother would have dealt with so much better kid.” Stiles shrugged, looking away. “I think she knew about this stuff. At least a little bit. When you were really little, she used to tell you stories, and there was one that always got my attention. It was a story of three wolves, the leaders of their pack. One had red eyes and was called the Alpha. The other two were golden-eyed betas. They went into an enchanted forest to learn the right way to lead their pack. The three wolves were separated. The Alpha was greeted by a druid of the forest and told to observe everything about her pack to learn how to lead them forward. She was told that she would ultimately decide the fates of the other wolves. One of the betas met a hunter in the woods. There was a struggle and the hunter tried to kill the beta, but the beta won. Since the hunter had been trying to kill him, his eyes stayed gold. But the other beta heard his brother fighting the hunter and heard the howls of pain during the fight. He saw another human in the woods, with their back to him. He could smell wolfsbane and could see the crossbow in the human’s hands. Not willing to risk the safety of his brother or alpha, the beta killed the unsuspecting hunter. But doing so changed him. His eyes went from gold to blue and all three wolves were guided out of the forest. When the Alpha saw the betas eyes, she understood what the druid had told her. She made the beta with gold eyes her second, the one who would lead in her stead and protect her pack in the light through battles or negotiations. The one with the blue eyes she dubbed her left hand. He would work in the shadows and do whatever was needed to protect the pack from threats, inside and out. Together the three of them would lead and protect their pack, working in perfect balance.” Noah sighed.</p>
<p>         “Dad,” Stiles started, but the Sheriff cut him off.</p>
<p>         “She must have told that story three times a day. It was one of your favorites. One day when she told that story, you asked her what the eye colors meant. She said that all Alphas have red eyes, and most betas have gold eyes. But a beta with blue eyes meant they had killed someone who was not actively trying to kill them. A reflection of their guilt. Stiles, you have blue eyes.” Stiles couldn’t meet his dad’s eyes. His whole body was shaking. “I know why kid. I know what you did. I knew when you did it. You did what I couldn’t. All I’m asking is if Scott knows what you did.”</p>
<p>         “You knew?” Stiles started, looking up before he could stop himself.</p>
<p>         The Sheriff nodded. “Of course, I knew, Stiles. I’m your dad. And before you get yourself worked up, I wasn’t mad then and I’m not mad now. It’s what she wanted; I just couldn’t do it.” His father’s voice was fierce. He gripped Stiles’ shoulder with all the strength he could muster and took a steadying breath. “Now, I know it’s hard but focus on the question. Does Scott know what the blue eyes mean?”</p>
<p>         “Allison told him it was the mark of a killer.”</p>
<p>         “Allison is an Argent. They hunt werewolves, right?” Stiles nodded. “And Scott doesn’t see a problem with getting his information from them?” Noah ran his free hand over his face. “All right. Next question, does Derek know the details?” Stiles frowned. “Cause if he doesn’t, he needs to. Whatever else he is, he’s your alpha and from what I can tell that means you and him are in this together, as a pack. He can’t keep you or any other pack members safe if he doesn’t have all the information.”</p>
<p>         “He doesn’t know, but only ‘cause he hasn’t asked. Not that we’ve really had time to break all this down.” Stiles shrugged. The Sheriff finally let his hand fall back to the table.</p>
<p>         “Two more questions, then I’m going to bed and you’re going to school. First, where the hell is Hale staying? And don’t even think about lying.” He pointed an accusing finger at his son.</p>
<p>         “Uh, Derek’s sorta been camping out in his old house. I told him he needed somewhere that’s not a condemned building, but he doesn’t listen to me.”</p>
<p>         “Next time you see him, you tell him he’s either moving into one of our guest rooms or a holding cell until he can get himself a permanent place that meets all my legal and personal standards. Last question, for now, is he planning on biting more kids?”</p>
<p>         “Not like Peter did. I can’t say he’s not planning on building his pack, because he is and he needs to, but I know for a fact that he’s not gonna bite anyone who does want it. And, if I can convince him to listen to me, anyone who gets the offer is also gonna get a crash course in ‘Crap Hunters Pull’ from yours truly.” Stiles folded his arms across his chest with a huff.</p>
<p>         The Sheriff chuckled. “All right kid. Calm down. I’m sure I’ll have more questions later, but that’ll do for now. I want you to promise me that you’ll tell me what’s happening from now on. No more lying.”</p>
<p>         “No more lying. I promise.”</p>
<p>         “Now get to school.” Noah rose from the table but paused at the bottom of the stairs. “I love you, kid.”</p>
<p>         “Love you too Dad.” Stiles watched his father disappear up the stairs before grabbing his backpack and keys and heading to school.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>         To say school was weird would be an understatement. It wasn’t just the bombardment of all the new things he could smell and hear. It was also the first time since his mother died that Stiles was not sitting near and talking to Scott. Even when they had fought in the past, they had still talked to each other trading barbs or making sure the other knew they were still mad. But now, Scott was actively avoiding Stiles, trading seats to put him on the opposite side of every classroom. Even odder still was who he ended up near in the classes without Scott as a buffer. He ended up beside Vernon Boyd in English, Isaac Lahey in History and Chemistry, and Erica Reyes in Math. During his free period, he sat with Danny, who promptly moved to crowd Jackson. What was noticeable about this was his history with Boyd and Erica. They used to be his friends before his mom died and he had to take some time off from school. After he’d come back, they’d all avoided him, and Scott said that they had been making fun of him, so he stayed with Scott. At lunch, Stiles ate in the library, using the time to research what he could about reclaiming property through the legal system so that he could help Derek. He didn’t talk to anyone directly, except the teachers, for the whole day. At Lacrosse practice, he found himself gravitating towards Isaac in an effort to avoid Scott. He actually got the other teen to engage in some friendly banter by the end of practice. Though that did little to counter the hesitant and distrustful glances that Scott was sending his way.</p>
<p>         Derek met him with the Camaro after practice ended. “Get in,” he ordered.</p>
<p>         “You know, I drove to school today,” Stiles said, getting into the passenger seat anyways. “So, whatever we’re doing, you’re gonna have to bring me back to get my jeep.” Derek didn’t say anything, just gave him a look as he drove away. “What are we doing today, anyway?”</p>
<p>         “Talking,” Derek growled. Stiles frowned at him.</p>
<p>         “About what?” he asked, but Derek didn’t answer. “Come on Sourwolf. You can’t just say something like that and not tell me what about it. I work myself into a panic attack if that’s all you’re giving.”</p>
<p>         “Pack.”</p>
<p>         “So, we’re going somewhere to talk about pack? Sounds perfectly not stressful,” Stiles muttered. He fell back in the seat slumping against the window, not satisfied with the Alpha’s answer. He let it drop though, choosing instead to complain about Mr. Harris and the extra homework that the English teacher had insisted on assigning. Ten minutes later they were pulling up at the cemetery and Stiles let his words trail off.</p>
<p>         “Come on Stiles.” Derek got out of the Camaro and waited patiently for Stiles to join him. Stiles let the silence sit, unwilling to break the peace of the cemetery. Knowing that just a day or so ago the Argents had buried Kate not too far from where Derek was leading Stiles. Derek stopped in front of a small headstone that read Paige Krasikeva. Stiles didn’t have the chance to read the years before Derek was pulling him down to the ground and forcing them to face each other.</p>
<p>         “Uh, Derek, why are we talking about pack in the cemetery?” Stiles said after a long while waiting for the other to speak. It was a few more minutes before Derek finally opened his mouth, but he wasn’t looking at Stiles when he did.</p>
<p>         “An alpha cannot defend their pack without knowing their pack. Before the fire, the only people who knew why my eyes were blue were Peter and my mother. After the fire, I had to tell Laura what happened. Paige was my girlfriend and she was dying. A rival alpha thought that if the bit her, my mom would have to work with his pack. But she rejected the bite. She was in a lot of pain and she asked me to end it. So, I did.” Derek looked back at Stiles. “I need to know why your eyes are blue.” His blue-green eyes were more vulnerable than Stiles had ever seen them.</p>
<p>         “My mom got sick when I was ten. I guess she was probably sick before that, but that’s when they told me. She had something called Frontotemporal Dementia. It started with little things. Not sleeping well. Forgetting where her keys were or how we got to somewhere. It got bad though. Eventually, she forgot who I was. It was scary but sometimes it was better than others. Sometimes she’d just ask me if I was lost or if I needed help finding my mom. Other times…” Stiles’ voice caught in his throat, but he cleared it and pressed on.  “Other times, when the paranoia was bad, she called me a demon and claimed that I was there to kill her. Dad could usually calm her down, but then she started forgetting who he was. She was at home ‘cause Dad said that she didn’t want to die in a hospital and that means that all her meds were at home too. I could see where things were going. It had been months since she recognized my dad without him reminding her. So, I waited until it was one of the good days. One of the days where she thought I was somebody my dad was helping out and I stole a full bottle of one of her pills. The ones that Dad had told me were for her pain. I dumped them in a cup of tea and waited until most of them dissolved. Then I gave her the tea.” Tears were stinging his eyes, but he pressed on. “The doctors said that she probably would have lasted a few more months. They said that she must have gotten confused and taken the pills by mistake. Some of the parents are her funeral thought that she might have taken them on purpose in a burst of clarity.” Derek’s hand was firmly on Stiles’ shoulder.</p>
<p>         “Stiles.” The Alpha waited for a beat, but Stiles didn’t react. “Stiles, look at me.” Stiles wasn’t sure when he had looked away, but he forced himself to look up, not sure what to expect. Bright red eyes bore into him and Stiles had to resist the urge to look away again. “Who else knows the truth?” Derek’s voice was so quiet and gentle it was hard to imagine that this was the same man who had repeatedly slammed him into walls.</p>
<p>         “Just you, me, and my Dad.” Stiles’ own voice sounded broken and dry, despite the tears still stinging his eyes.</p>
<p>         “That’s all that will ever need to know.” Derek let his eyes fade back to their blue-green color. “Come on.” Derek was on his feet in a graceful movement that made Stiles jealous and also highlighted the fact that just because he was a werewolf now it doesn’t mean that he suddenly became graceful. Compared to Derek at that moment, he looked like a newborn deer trying to stand up and would have likely ended up pitching headfirst into a tombstone if Derek hadn’t grabbed his arm to steady him. Stiles was feeling almost hollow after his confession, and just let himself be steered back to the Camaro by his alpha’s strong hand. Derek let the silence stew and Stiles didn’t fight him. He let it sit until they were back at the school, the parking lot now empty except for Stiles’ jeep. But when Stiles went to get out, Derek locked the door. Stiles looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Derek looked back expectantly.</p>
<p>         Stiles let out a defeated sound. “Just let me out, Sourwolf.”</p>
<p>         “You need to talk more,” Derek said as if it explained Stiles’ impromptu imprisonment in the car.</p>
<p>         “Trust me, a few more days without Adderall and you won’t be saying that,” Stiles snorted.</p>
<p>         “I meant about your mom. You can’t let your guilt keep you from remembering her.”</p>
<p>         “Pot meet kettle.” His voice was acid. Derek’s glare was worse.</p>
<p>         “Try.”</p>
<p>         “Fine. I will. Can I go now?” Stiles tried the door again, but it was still locked.</p>
<p>         “Tell me something about your mom.”</p>
<p>         “Derek now is not the time for this.”</p>
<p>         “One thing.”</p>
<p>         “Derek.”</p>
<p>         “One thing.”</p>
<p>         “Roscoe was hers. She left him for me.”</p>
<p>         “Roscoe?”</p>
<p>         “My jeep. Satisfied?” Stiles didn’t get a verbal reply, but the lock on the door clicked and he was out of the car instantly. He didn’t let himself stop and think until he was back at his house, safely in his room where he could grieve without a care about who could see him. He didn’t notice the text until hours later.</p>
<p>UNKNOWN NUMBER: Full moon planning tomorrow. Full moon day after. Be ready.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>         School went the same as it had the day before, except Stiles actually managed to get Erica to acknowledge his existence in class along with Isaac. Scott was still actively avoiding him, but Stiles was starting to get used to it. During practice, he talked a bit to Isaac, learning a bit more about him. He was actually starting to like him some. Derek wasn’t waiting after practice like he had the day before, so Stiles just drove home. He wasn’t surprised to see the Camaro parked at the end of the street. Nor was he particularly shocked to find the Alpha sitting on his bed with his legs propped up and a book held in front of his face. Stiles ignored how natural it felt to see Derek there. “Full moon planning, right?” Stiles said, dropping his bag by his desk chair as he fell into it. Derek looked up from his book. “What kind of planning are we doing?”</p>
<p>         “Guess,” Derek muttered, closing his book.</p>
<p>         “Well, counting me, there are three people who have been bitten since the last full moon. Lydia isn’t a werewolf. She’s healing to slowly, but she’s also still alive, so I have no idea what she is. Then there’s Jackson and me, two betas going through our first full moon. When Scott first turned, you had to drag him out to the woods to keep him from accidentally killing someone. I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that isn’t how you normally deal with newly turned wolves on their first full moon.” Stiles tilted his head a bit.</p>
<p>         “Bitten wolves are different from born.”</p>
<p>         “I know that.”</p>
<p>         “Shut up and let me talk,” Derek growled. Stiles rolled his eyes and mimed for Derek to go on. “My mom used to lock new wolves in the basement and chain them to the wall during the full moon until they got control.”</p>
<p>         “Kinky,” Stiles smirked. Derek glared at him. “No basement, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you still have the chains. So you just need a place to chain us down.”</p>
<p>         “Just you.”</p>
<p>         “What about Jackson?” Stiles frowned.</p>
<p>         “His body’s rejecting the bite.”</p>
<p>         “So he’s dying?” Derek didn’t answer, but his eyebrows were knit together in what Stiles thought was confusion. “You don’t think so. So, if he’s rejecting the bite, but not dying, does that put him in the same boat as Lydia or a new boat altogether?” Derek shrugged. “That is about as useful as an ice cube in a snowstorm.”</p>
<p>         “Stiles.”</p>
<p>         “Just saying. I mean, if we knew more, I’d be a little less concerned about the whole thing, but as it stands, we have two people who were bitten and aren’t turned. One is showing absolutely nothing except a slow healing scar while the other is actively rejecting the bite and we don’t even know where to start to figure it out.” Stiles fully intended to continue ranting about the lacking sources for <em>real </em>information on the supernatural online, but he stopped catching Derek’s wide-eyed look. “What?” There was a slamming sound from around the room and Stiles turned to see the books that had been neatly stacked on his desk scattered around haphazardly. “What?” Stiles repeated, unsure of what exactly had just happened. He looked back at Derek. “What?” It was too much. He couldn’t think past that word. He could feel his heart pounding and suddenly it was hard to take a breath. All he could hear was a buzzing sound. Before it could go much further than that, firm hands were on his shoulders forcing him to look at two glowing red eyes. Stiles focused on them, somewhere along the way recognizing that they belonged to Derek. As did the hands grounding him. He could see the ‘wolf talking but the words weren’t making sounds. Whatever he had been trying to say was abandoned when Derek took one of Stiles’ hands in his own and pressed it against his chest. Stiles could feel the steady rise and fall and the even beat of his heart. Having a demonstration helped him take his own deep breath in who knows how long. They stayed there, connected until the buzzing was gone and Stiles was breathing regularly.</p>
<p>         “Better?” Derek said quietly. Stiles nodded and Derek released him, eyes still red as he stepped out of the beta’s space. Stiles glanced back at his messy desk and scattered books.</p>
<p>         “Did-did I do that?” Stiles’ voice was a rasp in the suddenly quiet room. “Wha-what was that?”</p>
<p>         “It looked like magic.”</p>
<p>         “Magic?” Stiles whimpered.</p>
<p>         “Stuff like that used to happen around my cousin Jonah. Peter said he got it from his mother.” Derek was looking at Stiles like he was a puzzle. Stiles really wanted to get back on the familiar ground of supernatural creatures, rather than answer the new questions that were starting to swirl around his head.</p>
<p>         “Was your cousin also a werewolf?”</p>
<p>         Derek didn’t answer him. Instead, he asked, “Have things like this happened before?”</p>
<p>         “I think I would have noticed that, and I probably wouldn’t have had a panic attack about it if that were the case, Derek,” Stiles snapped. Derek didn’t rise to the bait. His skin felt like it was crawling with ants and he needed to move. So, he got up and started pacing, running his hands over his hair periodically trying to get a hold on exactly what had happened.</p>
<p>         “Stiles, magic doesn’t just appear.” Derek was being careful to keep his voice even and calm.</p>
<p>         “I don’t know. I mean, I can’t remember having magic before now, but to be perfectly honest, if this kind of thing was happening when I was a kid, I have been actively trying not to remember anything from before my mom died so, <em>I don’t know.”</em> Stiles was still feeling a bit frantic but talking was helping. The words just rolling off his tongue with no filter or consideration. Derek seemed to have picked up on that.</p>
<p>         “Then think about it now,” he said.</p>
<p>         “Mom was always talking about the world like it was full of magic. When I was really little, and we were playing in the garden she’d always yell at me like it was my fault that things were getting dirty. She’d call me Mischief and tell me to stop making things fly. But not when Dad was around. Only when it was just the two of us. Or sometimes there was another kid, but I don’t know. I mean, I purposefully forgot details from before. After, I know it wasn’t happening. Once I was diagnosed with ADHD and started with the Adderall, there was definitely no magic.”</p>
<p>         Derek had an odd look on his face when he said, “Mischief?” Like it was the key to something that he was scared to unlock.</p>
<p>         “I couldn’t say my name when I was little. I mean, most people can’t say my name, so it wasn’t that big a deal. When I tried to say it, I said Mischief instead and mom and dad thought it was fitting. It was better than Mieczyslaw, but after I didn’t want to think about any of that, so I chose Stiles instead.” Stiles was calm enough by now to realize that Derek was looking at him strangely. He forced himself to stop pacing, meeting the still glowing gaze. Eventually, Derek blinked the red out of his eyes and cleared his throat.</p>
<p>         “Your mom’s name was Claudia, wasn’t it?” He waited for Stiles’ curious nod before looking away. “There was a woman who used to visit with Peter every week. While they visited, Laura would watch her son and Cora. Sometimes I’d stay, but as I got older, I didn’t as much. I was there the first time she came by. I think I was five or six. Peter was supposed to be watching me and she came to the door asking to meet mom. I wasn’t supposed to listen to the meeting, but Peter was always breaking the ‘no listening rule’. He told me that she was there making a deal for her son. She agreed to help tutor Peter in magic theory and supernaturals in exchange for status as pack adjacent for her and a place in the pack for her son. When the meeting was over, Mom told me to introduce her son to Cora and Laura. She told me that he’d be pack someday.” As he spoke, Derek kept glancing over at Stiles before fixing his eyes on the floor. “He asked us to call him Mischief.”</p>
<p>         The world was spinning again, but Stiles must have been too tired to slip into another panic attack because he was still able to get words out. “Derek, are you trying to say that my mom organized a place for <em>me </em>in your mom’s pack?” Derek didn’t meet his eyes as he nodded. “And that Peter knew that. Peter knew my mother.” Stiles felt himself snap together as the realization dawned on him. “Peter <em>knew.</em>” Derek’s head shot up.<em> “</em>Oh my God. He knew about the magic. He had to. That’s why he ignored me when I said no. He knew that this would happen.” Stiles collapsed into his desk chair. “That <em>bastard</em> wanted this.” Neither of them said anything for a while. It had been a week full of big reveals and loaded conversations between them. The air felt heavy with every breath. Unsurprisingly, Stiles was the first one to break. “Okay. So, figuring out the magic has to wait until after the full moon. We have enough to worry about. It just means somebody has to be watching me for magic and feral behavior. And at some point tomorrow night, you should at least check on Jackson to make sure that whatever’s happening with him doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass.”  Derek raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. “I’m serious. I don’t want the next thing out of the Hellmouth to be Jackson. If he is something but isn’t a werewolf, we’re gonna need to find a copy of the Hale Bestiary.”</p>
<p>         Derek rolled his eyes. “Once I’m sure you won’t hurt anyone, I’ll check on him. Anything else?”</p>
<p>         “If you see my Dad, he’s going to force you to show proof that you’re living in a real place or he’s going to arrest you until you agree to move into one of the guest rooms.” The Alpha’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m not kidding.” Derek rolled his eyes again. “Your struggle, Sourwolf,” Stiles said. He forced himself to pick up the scattered books and turn his attention to his homework. Derek stayed for a bit, just watching him, before slipping out the window. Stiles wasn’t looking forward to the full moon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Moon Rise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Stiles' first full moon</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            The day of the full moon, Stiles felt like his body was set to vibrate. He could feel the wolf under his skin and could almost hear it howling, wanting to be let out over every little thing. By the time Chemistry rolled around, Stiles was shaking with unused energy struggling to keep his claws in when Harris called him out. Isaac seemed to notice. Once Harris turned his attention back to his lecture, Isaac leaned over, gripping Stiles’ wrist. “Uh, hey Stiles,” he said quietly. “You okay?”</p><p>            Stiles nodded and flashed a small grin at the other boy. “Just ready to get out of here,” Stiles whispered. There was a hint of a growl in his voice.</p><p>            “You sure?” Isaac wasn’t looking at him but was still gripping his wrist. “You look like you want to hit something.”</p><p>            “I’m more likely to scratch than hit,” Stiles muttered unthinkingly.</p><p>            Isaac let out a small snort of laughter. “I would think you’d rather bite.”</p><p>            Stiles stiffened. He felt his claws prick into his palms. “You know.”</p><p>            “I won’t tell.” Isaac looked over at Stiles. “I saw another one in the cemetery a few nights ago. I didn’t know you were one until today though.” Stiles raised an eyebrow. “Full moon tonight.”</p><p>            “Stop talking,” Stiles breathed. His eyes fixed on Scott who had almost certainly heard everything they said. “Even knowing about this kind of stuff will put you in danger, Isaac. You don’t want people to know that you know.”</p><p>            “What do you mean?” Isaac finally let go of his wrist, frowning down at him. Scott looked back at them, and his eyes flashed gold. “Stiles.”</p><p>            “Some other time. I promise.” Stiles fixed his eyes on his desk and his chemistry book, praying that Isaac would let it go. Thankfully, he did. Stiles skipped Lacrosse practice, feeling the stretch of his control. His dad’s cruiser was in the driveway when he got home. The Sheriff was sitting in his armchair watching something, but he cut off the TV when Stiles came in. Stiles was halfway up the stairs before Noah could get to his feet.</p><p>            “Hang on a minute Stiles,” he called after him. Stiles froze on the stairs before turning back to face his dad. “There’s a full moon tonight.” Stiles nodded. “I’m working the overnight, but I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay tonight.”</p><p>            “Yeah, I should be fine. Derek has a plan to keep me from hurting anybody,” Stiles said.</p><p>            “And what about Hale hurting somebody?”</p><p>            Stiles’ skin prickled at the implication against his Alpha. “Derek’s not a threat to anyone.  He was born a werewolf and has been controlling himself all his life. We’ll both be fine tonight.” There was a growl in his voice that he couldn’t quite get rid of. Noah held his hands up in a placating measure.</p><p>            “I’m just trying to understand, kid.”</p><p>            Stiles took a calming breath. He jammed the heels of his hands into his eyes letting out another growl. “I know Dad.” He ran his hands over his hair before letting them fall back to his sides.</p><p>            “Is every month going to be like this?” the Sheriff asked with raised eyebrows.</p><p>            “It should get easier. Eventually.” Stiles shrugged.</p><p>            “All right. I’m going in early. You call or you have Hale call if anything happens.”</p><p>            “Will do. Love you.”</p><p>            “Love you too, kid.”</p><p>            After the Sheriff left, Stiles tried to focus on his homework, but he found himself struggling with his focus even more than usual. He almost took some Adderall before remembering that it wouldn’t help. He closed his English textbook, knowing that he wasn’t going to get anything else done there and let himself follow the scattered thoughts in his mind. He found himself flicking through werewolf mythologies from around the world. As the sun set, his phone went off.</p><p>            SOURWOLF: Outside. Now.</p><p>            Stiles rolled his eyes but headed outside anyways. Derek was waiting in the Camaro at the end of the driveway. As Stiles got in Derek fixed him with a glare. “You weren’t at Lacrosse practice.”</p><p>            “Did I mess up your plan Sourwolf?” Stiles snarked. Derek raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t want to tempt fate. I was already risking it in Chemistry and if anyone other than Isaac had been sitting beside me, I would have been in big trouble. As it was, Scott definitely knows that Isaac knows about werewolves. Which doesn’t bode well for any of us, since he’ll tell Alison and she’ll tell her family.” Derek huffed in agreement as he drove away from the Stilinski house. “So, are you going to chain me up in your basement?” Stiles wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.</p><p>            Derek let out a very loud sigh and glared at him for a moment. Stiles shrugged. “Hunters have the house.”</p><p>            “Seriously?” Stiles sat up straighter. “That’s messed up.” Derek’s stiff posture seemed to agree with the sentiment. “So, if we’re not going to your house, where are we going?” Predictably, Derek didn’t answer. Stiles shrugged. “As long as it’s somewhere that will keep me away from people, I guess it’s fine, but one of these days, you’ll tell me where we’re going before you start driving. By the way, I think you were right about something going on with Isaac. He had a nasty looking bruise on his arm today. Plus, a cut on his neck that I know he didn’t get from Lacrosse. I haven’t really known him long, but the guy is jumpy as crap.”</p><p>            “Say what you mean,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “I think he’s being abused. I don’t have any real proof, but he’s got all the normal signs.” Stiles looked at Derek. “After the full moon, we need to find out for sure and get him the hell out of that house.”</p><p>            “Tomorrow. We have enough to worry about tonight.” Derek parked the car outside an abandoned train depot. “Moon will be out soon.”</p><p>            “I can tell,” Stiles muttered as he got out of the car and followed Derek into the building. There was a dilapidated train car in the center of the large room, and Derek went straight for it. Inside, there were chains attached to a set of seats. Derek looked back at Stiles expectantly. “You really think this is gonna be enough to stop me?”</p><p>            “Stiles.”</p><p>            “All right, fine. Whatever. Let’s get this over with.” Stiles let Derek guide him into the seat and chain him down by his wrists and ankles. Derek settled on the seats opposite him. “So, are we going to sit here in silence until I get the urge to maim you?”</p><p>            “You should try to find an anchor.”</p><p>            “Yeah, I remember you telling Scott about that, but I don’t have a significant other or an unreasonable amount of anger.”</p><p>            “There are other ways to anchor yourself.” Derek leaned forward in his seat. “Pain is an easy way. Some ‘wolves use a mantra. Like Alpha Beta Omega. Laura used a strong memory as her anchor.”</p><p>            “Like for a Patronus?” Stiles snorted.</p><p>            Derek glared at him. “Stiles, be serious.”</p><p>            “I am serious. Sarcasm is my best defense.” Stiles shrugged, making the chains jangle. “At least it was, and for now it’s the only defense I can control.”</p><p>            “You’ll learn.” Derek sat back in his seat. Stiles rolled his eyes but wasn’t really concerned with continuing the conversation. Not when he could feel his teeth starting to grow. He forced himself to take a steadying breath, trying to keep back the shift. He could feel the pull of the moon outside. He wanted to howl and run and hunt. His eyes flashed blue. He dug his claws into his palms but was able to calm himself some by focusing on his Alpha. Derek was calmly watching him, a constant comforting presence to the beta. He had no idea how long it took, but eventually, he was in control enough to pull his shift back some. His teeth were still too sharp, and his claws still pricked against his skin. Derek frowned at him.</p><p>            “Sourwolf,” Stiles growled.</p><p>            Derek raised an eyebrow. “The moon passed its peak.”</p><p>            “Meaning?” Stiles was lisping a little.</p><p>            “The worst of it is over. You shouldn’t be any more violent than you have been. You have your phone?” Stiles nodded. “Good. I’m going to check on Jackson. I’ll call you if there’s a problem. If not, I’ll be back in an hour or so. Then we can probably unchain you and get you home.” Derek rose from his seat. “You did good Stiles.” Derek left quickly and Stiles resisted the urge to chase after him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Unchained</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW- Cannon compliant child abuse. (Isaac's storyline is discussed with some details. Summary in the endnotes for those who need to skip this part.)</p><p>Thank y'all for the wonderful response to this. I love seeing your comments and they help so much with the will to write. </p><p>The next update may be a bit slow. I'm moving this week so I don't have as much time to write/edit my stuff. We get some Erica action in the next chapter. I promise I'll get it out as quick as I can.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Derek decided to drive to Jackson’s house. He wasn’t happy about leaving Stiles, even with the extraordinary amount of control the teen had shown so far. But Stiles had been right to be worried about Jackson. He parked the Camaro at the end of the Whittemore’s street and ran through the yards until he located Jackson’s room. He was just outside when something tore through the trees. It paused to look at the wolf and Derek froze. It had slit yellow eyes and skin that looked like scales. Then it was gone. Derek cursed but didn’t go after it. He didn’t know what it was. He didn’t know how to fight it. And worst of all, he couldn’t smell it. After he looked in Jackson’s window to confirm that Jackson was gone, he went to leave. Darting across the street to where there was better cover. As he passed by what he assumed was Isaac’s house he heard someone screaming.</p><p>            Derek sought out the sound, shifting to hear it better. The screaming was joined by scratching that Derek placed in the basement. He crept through the bushes to find a clear view of the basement. The light was off and there didn’t seem to be anybody in the room, but, after a moment, Derek could hear Isaac’s heartbeat coming from the freezer. After checking to ensure that the rest of the house was empty, Derek broke down the door and raced to release Isaac. The boy was still sobbing with screams when Derek opened the freezer. “Isaac, you’re okay,” Derek said, gently helping the frightened, injured teen out of the freezer. He could smell blood, and feel Isaac shaking. Once Isaac realized that Derek wasn’t his father, he collapsed in the alpha’s arms sobbing loudly. Derek slipped his hand onto the other’s neck and took some of his pain.</p><p>            “Is he gone?” Isaac cried. “Is he gone? Please tell me he’s gone. I can’t- he'll -just, tell me he’s gone.”</p><p>            “He’s gone, Isaac. I promise. He’s gone. You’re safe.” Derek kept talking quietly until Isaac calmed down, shushing the boy’s begging. When they did separate, Derek took in the injuries. Isaac had a large cut under his eye that was still bleeding some and a new bruise forming around his neck. The way he shifted made Derek think he probably had some bruises to his ribs too. “Isaac, I’m going to call the Sheriff. He’ll help us take care of this and make sure you don’t have to stay here. Okay?”</p><p>            “Do you have to do it here?” Isaac shuddered as he glanced around the basement.</p><p>            Derek shook his head. “I can do it outside.” He helped Isaac to his feet, and they went outside together. Then he called Sheriff Stilinski.</p><p>            “Sheriff,” Noah grunted as he answered his phone.</p><p>            “Sheriff, this is Derek Hale.” Before Derek could go on Noah cut him off.</p><p>            “Is Stiles ok?”</p><p>            “Stiles is fine. That’s not why I’m calling. I was checking on Jackson, and, as I was leaving, I heard someone screaming in the house across from his. I went inside and found one of Stiles’ teammates locked in a freezer in the basement. No one else was in the house.”</p><p>            “You heard? Is this one of those things where no one else could hear it?”</p><p>            “If anyone else were listening, they would have heard him,” Derek growled.</p><p>            Noah let out a sigh. “You know the kid’s name?”</p><p>            “Isaac Lahey.”</p><p>            “The kid that works at the cemetery. All right. You stay there. I’ll have a deputy out there in a few minutes. And an ambulance too. You and Isaac are going to have to give an official statement at the station. Tonight, if he’s up for it. You know who locked him in?”</p><p>            “His father,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “I’ll put out a BOLO on him. Let me know if you’ll be heading to the hospital or the station after you talk to the paramedics.” The Sheriff hung up.</p><p>            Isaac was staring at the ground, still shaking a little. “So, are you friends with Stiles?” Derek raised his eyebrows and looked at Isaac. Isaac’s eyes flicked up for a second and he shrugged. “Just wondering.”</p><p>            “He’s pack,” Derek said.</p><p>            “Is Jackson?” Isaac looked up. Derek tensed a bit. “You mentioned that you were checking on him.”</p><p>            “Jackson’s something else. You don’t mention Jackson or Stiles when the cops get here.” Derek crossed his arms. Isaac nodded. A few minutes later both a deputy pulled up, followed closely by an ambulance. After the paramedics said that Isaac didn’t need the hospital, Derek drove them both to the Police Station, sending a text to the Sheriff before they left. The Sheriff ushered Derek into his office as soon as they arrived, leaving Isaac with a deputy he called Tara. </p><p>            “Before you say anything else, tell me Stiles is okay,” the Sheriff demanded.</p><p>            “He’s fine. He’s not hurt, and he didn’t hurt anyone else.”</p><p>            “Good. Now, tell me exactly what happened. The full story. We’ll edit out the weird stuff for the report.” The Sheriff sat down and waited patiently as Derek told him what happened again. When he was done, they worked together to come up with a plausible reason for Derek to have been near Isaac’s house. “All right. Stay here. I’m going to make sure Isaac ends up at my house.” Derek frowned at him. “I’m an emergency foster parent. You said the kid knows about werewolves.” He made a face at the word. “Figure it’s better to keep him where I can make sure he’s safe.” The Sheriff left his office and went to talk to Isaac and the deputy. Derek didn’t listen in even though he could have. It was bound to be a hard conversation and they deserved their privacy. He did tune in when the radio went off.</p><p>            <em>“All units. We’ve got a 187 on North Tree rd. Please respond. Repeat 187 on North Tree rd.”</em></p><p>“Damn it. Kid, you and Derek go to my house. I’ve gotta deal with this. You do what Derek tells you to, got it?” The Sheriff ordered. “Tara, hold down the station.” The Sheriff opened the door to his office and looked at Derek. “You know what’s happening?” Derek nodded. “Get Stiles too. If this was him, I don’t want him anywhere near it.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Stiles was getting restless, but this time wasn’t because of the moon. He could certainly still feel the wolf under his skin, but Derek had been right. The worst was over. It had been nearly two hours since the Alpha went to check on Jackson and <em>that </em>was what was making him restless. He checked his phone obsessively. He stretched his senses as far as they could go, but all he could hear was the occasional car. Stiles didn’t even know if Derek had taken his car to check on Jackson. When Stiles heard the sirens not too far away, he knew something was wrong. But he didn’t pull against the chains. He didn’t try to break out. He couldn’t trust himself to stay in control if he did that. Instead, he checked his phone again. His leg was shaking uncontrollably by the time he heard a car stop outside. He could hear Derek before he could see him. The Alpha was alone when he reentered the train car. He didn’t say anything as he checked the chains on Stiles’ wrists and ankles. “Derek, what happened?” Stiles asked anxiously. He could smell the concern on Derek, but when red eyes looked up at him, he calmed a bit as his eyes flashed in response. Derek was quiet as he undid the chains. Then he took Stiles by the wrist and headed for the exit. “What happened?” Stiles asked again.</p><p>            Derek ignored him, releasing his wrist. “What’s a 187?”</p><p>            Stiles stopped moving. “Dead body,” he breathed. He could feel his heart speed. His fangs cut into his lip. Derek grabbed his shoulder firmly.</p><p>            “Calm down,” he hissed.</p><p>            “Then tell me what’s happening!” Stiles growled back. Derek’s eyes flared red and Stiles managed to take a calming breath even as he shied away a bit.</p><p>            “Your dad is fine. I will tell you everything when we get back to your house, but you need to control your shift.” Derek pushed him forward. Stiles moved, counting his breaths like he would for a panic attack. “Isaac is in the car. Do not growl at him.” Stiles glared back at him, eyes flaring blue. Derek shoved him forward again. True to his word, Isaac was waiting in the backseat of the Camaro. Stiles nodded to him, giving him a smile, closed mouth smile. The other teen reeked anxiety, stress, blood, and pain. There was a bandage on his face and dark bruises on his neck. Isaac looked a little nervous as he nodded back, his eyes fixing on Stiles’, which had flared at the smell of blood. It was silent as Derek drove back to the Stilinski house. Once they were there, Stiles lead them all into the living room and sat down, looking at Derek expectantly.</p><p>            “Tell me what happened,” Stiles said. Isaac sat down in the Sheriff’s favorite armchair and looked at Derek too.</p><p>            It took a few moments, but eventually, Derek responded. “You were right,” he huffed.</p><p>            “About what?” Stiles raised an eyebrow.</p><p>            “Jackson and Isaac.”</p><p>            Stiles looked at the other teen who seemed to shrink into the chair. “And the body?”</p><p>            “Probably Jackson, but I don’t know anything for sure.” Stiles rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. There was too much going on and he was exhausted from the full moon, even though he could still feel it pulling at him. He tried to clear his mind enough to think through what needed to happen next. Derek’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Stiles.” Stiles’ attention snapped to his alpha. There was a clattering noise around the room as various small items fell to the ground.</p><p>            “What was that?” Isaac asked quietly. His eyes were wide as he looked at Stiles.</p><p>            “Magic,” Stiles muttered. “We can talk about everything tomorrow. I’m too tired right now. We’ve got two guest rooms. One’s in the basement. The other is at the top of the stairs beside mine. Both should have clean sheets on the bed. If you can’t find something, let me know, I guess.” Stiles shrugged. Derek nodded to his beta as Stiles trudged up the stairs. Stiles smiled back. Now that he knew everyone was okay, his energy abandoned him. He barely managed to plug in his phone before passing out, still dressed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Derek sees Jackson as the Kanima and rescues Isaac. They're at the police station when the Sheriff gets called out for a dead body. Isaac and Derek get Stiles and go to the Stilinski house, where Derek tell Stiles he was right. Stiles accidentally does magic. Isaac sees. They all go to sleep in the various bedrooms of the Stilinski house.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Friends and Enemies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Sun comes up. Everyone gets caught up. Scott and Allison break the Camels back.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As Promised: Erica speaks!<br/>Warning for discussions of Trauma and Child Abuse</p><p>A nice longer chapter to make up for the long break between postings. And a question for you lovely readers: Lydia has two storyline options. One is closer to the show and one has her coming into the pack sooner. Which would y'all prefer? (No promises I'll listen to y'all though. Just thought I'd ask)</p><p>Leave kudos and comments to let me know if you're enjoying this!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            The next morning, Stiles was the first up. He could hear Isaac in the room beside his whimpering. Before he really understood what was happening, Stiles was in the other boy’s room. Isaac was curled on his side, tears streaming down his face whining quietly, still asleep. Stiles gently touched Isaac’s shoulder and he woke up with a yelp. Suddenly he was thrashing, and Stiles jumped back, trying to recall what he knew about dealing with trauma victims. Right. No touching. Grounding. Orientation. Comfort. “Isaac, it’s okay! It was just a dream. You’re safe now. You’re in the guest bedroom at my house.” Stiles kept his voice quiet and inched towards him as he stilled. He bowed his head a bit. “You with me?” Isaac nodded.  “Good.” Stiles checked the clock. “My dad’s gonna be home soon. You wanna help me make some breakfast for all of us?” Isaac nodded again. “I’ll bring you some clothes you can borrow so we can get ready for school. Then I’ll meet you in the kitchen when you’re ready.” Stiles smiled gently. “That okay?” He waited for another nod before going back to his room. He changed quickly and found some of his bigger clothes that would probably fit Isaac before heading to the kitchen to start breakfast. Stiles decided he was going to stick with the easiest thing and started making some eggs, sausage, and hash browns. Before he did anything with the food, he started a pot of coffee. Then he started with the potatoes and got the sausage cooking. By the time he had both of those in the pan, Isaac had joined him.</p><p>            “What can I do?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            “There are plates in the cabinets. Can you get out four?” Stiles pointed to the cabinet on the other side of the sink. Isaac did as he was told. While he was setting the table, Derek emerged from the basement. He looked grumpier than usual but in a soft way. The way people only look after waking up earlier than they’re used to. He went straight for the coffee. “Not a morning person, Sourwolf?” Stiles teased. Derek let out a low growl but didn’t say anything as he poured himself a cup. The Alpha downed half of it before sparing a moment to glare at Stiles.</p><p>            “Sourwolf?” Isaac asked. He leaned against the table, sipping his own cup of coffee, which he had poured copious amounts of sweetener into. Stiles himself didn’t drink coffee. If he needed caffeine, he preferred soda or energy drinks.</p><p>            “Yeah. ‘Cause he’s always a grump and he’s a werewolf. So, he’s a Sourwolf.” Stiles grinned.</p><p>            “Don’t call me that,” Derek muttered. Stiles laughed, and even Isaac smiled a little.</p><p>            “Somebody help me get this stuff to the table.” Stiles gestured to plate of sausage while he grabbed the bowls of hash browns and eggs. Isaac obliged and soon all three of them were at the table. While they were making their plates, the Sheriff came in, looking tired but otherwise all right. He poured himself a cup of coffee and joined them at the table as they all devoured the food. Werewolf metabolism meant Derek and Stiles ate far more than either Isaac or the Sheriff. Stiles made sure to keep the hash browns away from his dad for as long as possible, but Derek apparently got sick of his constantly moving the plate and simply ate all the remain hash browns. The conversation was light, with Stiles supplying most of it.</p><p>            Then Isaac sighed nervously. “So, about last night?” he asked. Derek looked at Stiles, who had slowly put his fork down. The Sheriff let out an explosive breath.</p><p>            “All right. First things first, tell me that Stiles didn’t kill anybody,” the Sheriff said. The order was directed at Derek.</p><p>            “Stiles didn’t hurt anyone last night. None of us did,” Derek replied.</p><p>            Noah nodded. “Okay. Now, Isaac, you were locked in that freezer until Derek found you right?”</p><p>            Stiles’ stomach dropped. “Locked in a freezer?” he chocked.</p><p>            “From dinner until then,” Isaac mumbled. He pushed some eggs around his plate, refusing to look up.</p><p>            “All right. Now, kid, you’ll be staying with us until the end of the school year. Tara got that all setup, but there’s something you need to know.” Noah leaned over and put his hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “Isaac, your dad is dead.” Isaac started, looking up instantly at the Sheriff. His scent spiked with what Stiles thought was hope. “Somebody killed him last night.”</p><p>            “He’s really dead?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            “He’s really dead.”</p><p>            “And I think I know who killed him,” Derek sighed. He met Stiles’ eyes.</p><p>            “Jackson,” Stiles realized. “You said I was right about Jackson.” Derek nodded slightly, folding his arms over his chest.</p><p>            “What’s the Whittemore kid got to do with this?” the Sheriff sighed.</p><p>            “Derek bit him the same night Peter bit me, but he was rejecting the bite. We thought he might’ve been immune like Lydia, but I wanted Derek to check on him last night anyways.”</p><p>            “When I got there, something else was in the trees. It had scales and slit yellow eyes. Jackson wasn’t in his room,” Derek said.</p><p>            “So you think Jackson killed Mr. Lahey?” Noah asked. Derek nodded. “But you don’t know for sure. Until we know for sure, none of you say anything about this. All right?” All three of them nodded their agreement. “Isaac, you don’t have to go to school if you don’t want to.”</p><p>            “I’ll go. It’s better than doing nothing,” Isaac said with a shrug. “Can I ask about werewolves now?”</p><p>            “I’ll tell you all about it on the way to school. You need anything from your house?” Stiles said gathering up the now empty plates and leaving them in the sink. He’d do the dishes that night. Isaac shook his head. “Good. Let’s go before we’re late.”</p><p>            “I’ll have a deputy take you by your house after school to get everything you need,” the Sheriff supplied.</p><p>            “Thanks, Sheriff Stilinski,” Isaac said, already heading for the door.</p><p>            “Love you, Dad,” Stiles called, snatching his bag and keys.</p><p>            “Love you too.”</p><p> </p><p>            “So why were you so worried about talking in school yesterday?” Isaac asked. They were halfway to the school, and Stiles nearly swerved.</p><p>            “A lizard creature may have killed your dad and you’re worried why a newly turned werewolf was acting weird the day of the full moon?” Stiles said.</p><p>            Isaac shrugged. “Just curious. Besides, he hasn’t been my dad in a while.” Stiles glanced over at him. “Come on, Stiles. I’m curious. Who at school is even going to believe you’re a werewolf?”</p><p>            “Other werewolves. Hunters.”</p><p>            “There are other werewolves at school?”</p><p>            “Scott.”</p><p>            “How long has Scott been a werewolf?”</p><p>            “Since they found that body in the woods. I took him out that night to try and find the other half and we got separated. My dad got me, but he stayed hidden. He got bit by the same guy who bit me.” Stiles grimaced. Same thing, different circumstances. Scott got bit and ended up Co-Captain of the Lacrosse team, sans his debilitating asthma, and dating the girl of his dreams. Stiles got bit and got blue eyes, lost his best friend, and was driving the victim of abuse to school the day after his father was killed. Yet Scott was the one who resented the bite more. Once Stiles had gotten past the initial denial, he’d accepted his wolf. Plus, he had a pack now, such that it was. The pack bond was a constant comfort thrumming under his skin.</p><p>            “Okay. So, what do you mean by hunters?”</p><p>            “Werewolf hunters. They claim to have a code, but I don’t trust them to follow it. Allison’s a hunter. Her whole family, actually.”</p><p>            “Even her aunt?”</p><p>            “Her aunt killed Derek’s whole family,” Stiles growled. “Wolves and humans. When I said it was dangerous to know about this stuff, I meant it. People die. Hunters will kill all of us, code be damned. Even the ones that follow the code will kill without hesitation. You too, just because you know about us.” Stiles pulled into the parking lot and looked at Isaac. “Do you understand, Isaac? You can’t talk about any of this stuff here. Not about me. Not about Derek. Not about Jackson.”</p><p>            “I get it, Stiles. I won’t tell anybody. I won’t talk about it. I swear.” Isaac held his hands up.</p><p>            Stiles scanned him before nodding. “All right. Just, it’s pack stuff.”</p><p>            “Pack stuff? But I’m not Pack.”</p><p>            “Not technically. Not yet. Just pack adjacent.”</p><p>            “Pack adjacent?”</p><p>            “You keep the pack secrets; you get pack protection.” Isaac snorted. “Yeah, it doesn’t sound like much cause our pack’s small right now. But it’s a big deal for bigger packs. My mom was pack adjacent with the Hale pack before they all died.” Stiles rubbed his neck. “Come on, Isaac.” Stiles got out of his jeep heading for the school. He heard Isaac following after him.</p><p>            “I didn’t mean anything by it, you know,” Isaac said, sounding just a little desperate and smelling vaguely of fear. Like he wasn’t also a card-carrying member of the Dead Mom Club.</p><p>            “I know. I’m not upset. I get it.” Stiles shrugged. “A lot of the things we talk about sound weird cause you don’t know the context. You’ll either get used to it, or you’ll move on. No big deal.”</p><p>            “I don’t plan to just move on. You guys seem like too much fun.” Isaac chuckled. Stiles grinned back at him, but before he could reply, he was pinned to the wall. Scott shoved his arm over Stiles’ throat, eyes glowing gold.</p><p>            “What did you do?” Scott growled.</p><p>            “Nothing,” Stiles choked out.</p><p>            “Don’t lie to me, Stiles. What did you do? They found a body last night. Did you kill someone else?” Scott pressed down harder, and Stiles gasped for air. His vision was speckled with black spots.</p><p>            “Get off him!” Isaac yelled. He grabbed Scott’s shoulder, but the werewolf shrugged him off.</p><p>            “Stiles, I swear to God, if it was you, I will help Argent find you,” Scott hissed. Then he was gone. Stiles slid to the ground sucking in air and trying to clear his vision. Isaac took him by the shoulders.</p><p>            “You okay?” Isaac frowned at him.</p><p>            “I’m fine,” Stiles managed. He gripped Isaac’s wrist. “I’m fine. Just an old friend letting me know exactly what he thinks of me.” He let go of Isaac and pushed himself to his feet. An old man cleared his throat.</p><p>            “Everything okay here?” the man asked. He smelled like gunpowder, something sour, and something else that made Stiles’ nose burn. Probably wolfsbane. He smelled like an Argent.</p><p>            “We’re fine,” Isaac said quickly. “He tripped.”</p><p>            The man turned to Stiles. “You should be more careful, young man. Wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”</p><p>            “Right,” Stiles muttered, purposefully looking anywhere but the man’s face. The bell rang behind them.</p><p>            “Well, you better get to class.” The man nodded to down the hall. Then he walked off towards the school office. Stiles frowned and pulled out his phone.</p><p>TO SOURWOLF: Older Argent in school. Scott cornered me and I think he saw it. Isaac was with me.</p><p>            “I’ll see you in history, Isaac,” Stiles said. “Thanks for…” He flailed a little. “You know.”</p><p>            “No problem.” Isaac gave him a small smile before walking off towards his classroom. Stiles headed for math, unable to shake the anxiety the old man had created. He checked his phone again as he sat down.</p><p>FROM SOURWOLF: Gerard. He trained Kate. Don’t take any risks.</p><p>TO SOURWOLF: Got it.</p><p>            “Hey,” Erica Reyes whispered. Stiles jolted a bit, looking up at her. “What happened with you and McCall?”</p><p>            “How do you know about that?” Stiles whispered back.</p><p>            Erica shrugged. “Everyone knows you’ve been avoiding each other. Plus, I saw Scott go after you when you came in today.”</p><p>            “We had a falling out.”</p><p>            “You guys haven’t fought like this since sixth grade.” She tilted her head a bit.</p><p>            Stiles shrugged. “Scott was the only one there after my mom died. We only had each other. Fighting like this didn’t really make sense.” Erica frowned but didn’t say anything else since the teacher was glaring at them.</p><p>            After class, she grabbed his arm. “You know, we wanted to be there for you, right? Especially after you got held back and were in classes with us,” she said, bitterly. “Scott told us you wanted space before you came back and then it was like you were avoiding us.” Her heartbeat stayed steady. She was telling the truth.</p><p>            Stiles gulped back a growl. “Scott told me that you and Boyd were the ones making fun of me.”</p><p>            Erica’s eyes got wide. “Never,” she breathed. Stiles looked at where Scott had been sitting, glaring at him for most of the class. He prayed that his anger didn’t trigger his magic. Or his eyes. “Stiles?”</p><p>            “We should talk later,” Stiles managed. Thankfully, it didn’t sound like a growl. “I’ll see you at lunch.” Then Stiles started walking. Part of him was itching to seek out Derek, to find comfort in his Alpha, but he held himself back and settled into his seat in history. He couldn’t stop himself from taking Isaac’s wrist when he sat down.</p><p>            “Um, Stiles?” Isaac said with a frown. Stiles immediately let go but was calmer than he had been. It took him a second to realize why.</p><p>            “Fuck,” Stiles muttered. He ran a hand over his face. “Sorry.”</p><p>            “It’s fine. I guess. Are you okay?” Isaac raised an eyebrow.</p><p>            “Yeah. I just found out that my best friend of the past ten years was actively keeping me from having any other friends and still abandoned me the moment things weren’t good for me. So, I’m a little frustrated.” He gestured to Isaac’s wrist, keeping himself from reaching for it again. “That helped.”</p><p>            “How?”</p><p>            “It’s scent marking. You smell like Pack, and that helps. I guess. I’m making most of this up with very little actual research on it. Cause hunters just want us dead and we don’t really feel comfortable putting any kind of information that could be used against us where hunters can find it. Nobody’s making a pamphlet on this crap.”</p><p>            “I thought I wasn’t Pack.”</p><p>            “Not officially. My instincts don’t really care about that though,” Stiles muttered with a shrug. Isaac had a small smile on his face as he sat back in his seat.</p><p>            “I don’t mind, you know,” he whispered, just loud enough that Stiles heard him. Stiles grinned at him while the teacher tried to get everyone’s attention. When lunch came, Isaac and Erica sat down on either side of him. Stiles leaned into Isaac a little. Werewolves were apparently tactile as crap because just the little bit of contact he got from Isaac was better at calming and focusing him than any of the other things he had tried so far. Erica gave them a weird look but didn’t say anything about it. Isaac, on the other hand, smelled amused. The asshole.</p><p>            “So about earlier,” Erica started. “Did you really think that Boyd and I were part of the rumor mill?” She glanced back at where Boyd was sitting alone at his table.</p><p>            Stiles shrugged, shifting away from Isaac again before it could look too weird. “I used to believe anything Scott told me. I used to trust him.”</p><p>            “Used to?”</p><p>            “I told you we had a falling out.” Stiles shrugged again and turned his attention to his food. “You know, even though I thought you guys didn’t want to be friends anymore, I didn’t stop paying attention, right? I still cared. I just thought you didn’t.”</p><p>            “We did,” Erica affirmed. She looked at the other human at the table. “It’s Isaac, right?” Isaac nodded. “How’d you end up with Stilinski?”</p><p>            “He took an interest in me. I had nothing to do with it,” Isaac smirked. Stiles rolled his eyes.</p><p>            “He was the only one who would talk to me when Scott stopped talking to me,” Stiles explained. “At least at first.” He smiled at Erica, and she bumped her shoulder against his. They kept talking for a while about classes at first. Then about comic books, because Erica and Stiles could talk forever about Batman, and they spent the rest of lunch debating the best Batman actor. On their way out of the lunchroom, Allison Argent cornered Stiles. Or, she tried to. She stood right in front of Stiles, but Isaac wasn’t having it and pulled Stiles around her. Allison walked after them and she smelled angry. She didn’t smell like gunpowder, but the wolfsbane clung to her clothes and burned his nose.</p><p>            “Stiles, you can’t run away from this,” she said. Isaac glared at her, but Stiles ignored her, using Isaac’s grip on his arm to keep them both moving towards their class. “I know you were the one behind the body.” That had Stiles stopping. “And I know it’s not your first.” She had thankfully kept her voice quiet, but the way she was glaring at Stiles and reaching for her bag didn’t exactly inspire confidence.</p><p>            “You don’t know anything about that,” Stiles growled quietly. “And I had nothing to do with the body they found last night, so you and Scott can leave me alone.”</p><p>            Allison looked defiantly at Isaac. “Do you really want to be friends with a killer?” she hissed.</p><p>            “Better than a bully,” Isaac said without missing a beat. Isaac shifted his grip so that he was gripping the same place on Stiles that Stiles had used to scent mark him earlier. Isaac tugged on Stiles and they started moving again, leaving an indignant and confused Allison in their wake.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Known</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So... Writer's block sucks. In case y'all were wondering. But! I have finally finished this chapter. I've got another (shorter) chapter that I'll post tomorrow ready too, from a new point of view. </p><p>Also, You were heard! Y'all are right. Lydia definitely should have figured it out sooner in the show so she shall join us sooner in this AU. </p><p>Let me know what y'all think in the comments and drops some kudos if you're enjoying it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Stiles was miserable for the rest of the day. Allison’s warning to Isaac had him worried. She had to know that Isaac was attached to Derek’s pack. Especially with the way that Isaac had scent marked Stiles. He was worried that She’d tell the rest of her family. He was more worried that she’d think Isaac wasn’t just in the know. He was worried that Allison thought Isaac was a werewolf too. Thankfully, that wasn’t the only thing he had to keep his mind busy. Lydia had finally returned to school, but she was acting weird. Which Stiles would know since he’d been in love with her since elementary school. It started with Jackson yelling at her. Stiles followed her until she disappeared into the bathroom. He had his free period next, so he decided to skip it and wait her out. He could hear her crying, but then she started talking. She burst out of the bathroom a moment later, tears still staining her face. “Stiles! Which way did he go?” she demanded.</p><p>            “No one else is out here, Lydia,” Stiles said gently.</p><p>            “Well, unless you have upped your stalker habits, someone had to have come out here. There was someone in the bathroom and I know he came out this way.” Lydia sounded a little frantic and without thinking Stiles had a hand on her shoulder and was pulling her closer.</p><p>            “No one came out of the bathroom Lydia. You were the only one in there.”</p><p>            “No. But I-I saw him.” She leaned into him, tears flowing again. “I swear I saw him.”</p><p>            “I believe you. Just,” Stiles looked up, searching for words. “There might be more going on here that we don’t understand. Can you tell me about him?” Stiles steered her to the wall and guided her to the ground.</p><p>            “Why bother? You said he wasn’t real.”</p><p>            “I said I couldn’t see or hear him. That doesn’t make him not real.” Stiles had his arm wrapped around her, pulling her into his side. He briefly thought he should be more excited about having his crush of the last ten years so close, but he dismissed it. “Tell me about it.”</p><p>            “It’s ridiculous,” she insisted, but she had relaxed against him. Stiles waited quietly, letting her talk at her own pace. Talking with Derek had given him a lot of practice. “He had boots that were covered in mud. And a leather trench coat. I didn’t see his face, but he had messy brown hair. He was an adult, but he looked younger. I’m not sure. I didn’t see him very well before he disappeared.” She shrugged.</p><p>            “We’ll figure it out.”</p><p>            “You mean you’re not going to tell an adult that I’m hallucinating?” Lydia snorted. “Not the typical response to someone having a psychotic break.”</p><p>            “No, but I don’t think seeing the guidance counselor is going to be able to help you much,” Stiles sighed.</p><p>            “What do you mean?”</p><p>            “Come on.” Stiles pulled her to his feet. “Why don’t you fix your make-up and we’ll head to our free period? I’ll wait for you right here.”</p><p>            “One of these days, you will explain.” She glared at him.</p><p>            Stiles shrugged. “Probably. But not today. You’ve had a hard enough day as it is.” She frowned at him but disappeared back into the bathroom. She emerged a few moments later, make-up restored, and steal façade back in place. She walked right past him but glanced back and raised her eyebrows pointedly.</p><p>            “Well?” She said. Stiles scrambled after her and they walk silently to their shared free period in the library. Stiles expected her to go and sit with Allison or Danny and Jackson. She did not. She followed Stiles to his seat and sat down beside him. Scott frowned at them, and Allison quickly relocated to Stiles’ table. Allison spent the entire time watching Stiles. There was a strange look in her eyes. Stiles ignored her, choosing to focus on his property research for Derek. He was also looking into what happened to the money of the Hale Estate and how to reclaim that. Lydia was acting like she was ignoring him, but he caught her glancing at his research with masked interest several times. When the last bell rang, Lydia was already in motion. “Bye Stiles,” she called out, not turning around. Isaac found Stiles, still feeling stunned as they got ready for practice.</p><p>            “You okay?” Isaac asked jolted Stiles out of his stupor. He glanced at Scott, who hadn’t stopped frowning.</p><p>            “Uh, yeah. Just had an interesting conversation with Lydia,” Stiles managed.</p><p>            “Lydia? You mean Lydia Martin?” Isaac frowned. “You know I asked her out once.”</p><p>            “I’ve asked her out several times. I take it that you attempt went as well as mine.”</p><p>            “She laughed at me.”</p><p>            “She didn’t even acknowledge me, so props for that.”</p><p>            “She acknowledged you today?”</p><p>            “Yeah. It was weird.” Stiles pulled at his laces. “I think there’s something going on with her and I think it might be Peter’s fault.”</p><p>            “Peter?” Isaac sighed, clearly lost.</p><p>            “Yeah, he’s the one who started this all.” Stiles paused, considering. “Actually, Kate started this all, but Peter started the recent stuff. I’ll tell you about it at dinner.” Stiles grabbed his stick and headed out for the field. During practice, Stiles was careful to keep his new strength and speed under control. He could see Allison and Gerard watching from the sidelines, but they seemed more fixated on Scott and Jackson. Lydia, who was sitting next to Allison, was staring at Stiles the whole time. A cruiser was waiting for Isaac after practice, so Stiles waved to him and went for his jeep. When he got home, he found Derek in the living room reading a book in his Dad’s armchair.</p><p>            “Stiles,” Derek said, not looking up from his book. Stiles plopped down on the couch across from his Alpha.</p><p>            “So, we need to find the Hale Bestiary,” Stiles started. “I was thinking about it today and I realized that it probably wasn’t a physical book. I mean, maybe at one point, but just because we’re werewolves doesn’t mean we have to live in the 1800s. That means that it’s probably on a computer or flash drive somewhere. Maybe even several copies hidden in different places. Is there somewhere you know that Peter would consider safe?” Derek did look up at that, frowning. “It’s just a question, Sourwolf.” Stiles rolled his eyes.</p><p>            “And if I do?”</p><p>            “Then you should go check there for the bestiary.” Stiles shrugged. Stupid paranoid Alpha. “If you find it bring it back. We need it for Jackson. And it might be useful in helping Lydia. She thinks she’s going crazy, but I think there’s more going on. Either way, the bestiary should be able to tell what is immune to the bite like Lydia is.”</p><p>            “Stiles, the table,” Derek sighed. Stiles glanced at the table to see it hovering a second before it fell back to the floor with a loud crash. Thankfully it wasn’t broken.</p><p>            “And that,” Stiles gestured to the table, “has got to stop. Whatever I am, my mom knew so, while you are checking wherever the hell you are for the bestiary, I’m going to be searching for my mom’s old journals to see if they can help me with magic.” Stiles made a face at the word. Sure werewolves and lizard people were real, but that didn’t mean magic should be too. It still felt very weird to admit that, not only was there magic in the world, but Stiles possessed some of it. Stiles opened his mouth to speak again but closed it immediately when he caught a scent. Wolfsbane and gunpowder. Argent.</p><p>            “Don’t let him know I’m here. Don’t let him know you’re with me. Don’t let him see your magic,” Derek hissed, darting into the kitchen out of sight from the door. Stiles tried to calm down before he opened the door. Standing there with his arm raised was Chris Argent. Stiles swallowed a growl.</p><p>            “What do you want?” he demanded.</p><p>            Chris glared at him, but then the man deflated. “I’m warning you,” he sighed.</p><p>            “What.”</p><p>            “You are a kid, and whatever you did to earn your eyes probably sucked. I don’t like it and I do not like you, but that doesn’t mean you deserve to die.” Chris wouldn’t look Stiles in the eyes, glancing around like he was worried someone was watching them. “You didn’t get a choice. So you get one warning. Do not go near my father or Allison. They will not give you the same courtesy.”</p><p>            “And what exactly is that warning?” Stiles shoved his hands in his pocket. Something about Chris’ scent under the wolfsbane and gunpowder was bugging Stiles. Like it was familiar, even though it shouldn't have been. His senses hadn’t kicked in the last time he’d seen the hunter.</p><p>            “I know you’re tied to Hale, even if you’re not in his pack yet. Stay near him. And for your own sake, do not let Gerard know you have magic.” Chris finally locked eyes with him. Stiles felt his stomach drop and his eyes flash. Derek was growling quietly in the kitchen. “You and your dad don’t deserve this mess,” Chris mumbled. Then Chris walked back to his car. Stiles couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He felt his claws digging into his palms as he desperately tried to keep control of his wolf. Derek grabbed his arm and dragged him into the house. He slammed the door and turned to his beta. Stiles forced himself to take a deep breath of air, Derek’s scent of leather and pine mixing with the scents of his house calming him enough to stave off a full panic attack.</p><p>            “Stiles?” Derek said carefully.</p><p>            “Well, he doesn’t know you’re here,” Stiles muttered. Derek rolls his eyes.</p><p>            “How does he know about your magic?”</p><p>            Stiles shrugged dejectedly. “How should I know? It’s not like I go around town flaunting any of my newfound powers. I wouldn’t know how to show someone if I wanted to, which I don’t! My dad doesn’t even know I have magic! Why the hell would I have told anyone who would tell a fucking hunter?!!” Derek flashed his eyes and Stiles calmed a bit. “I don’t know how he knows.”</p><p>            Derek nodded. “All right. Ask your dad. He went to school with Peter and Chris.”</p><p>            “Seriously?” Stiles groaned. “Fine! He’s working today, but he should be off tonight. Now, I am going to go dig through the boxes in Isaac’s room for journals that will likely be in Polish so that I can figure out what I am and why I have magic at all. Will you please go look for the bestiary so we can at least figure out what Jackson is before he tries to kill us?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Any guesses who the new POV is? ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Let Me Fix It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As promised: A new chapter! No one guessed, but hey, there wasn't that much time to guess. </p><p>Also, in case this wasn't clear yet, I really don't like Scott much. He's a bad friend in canon and he's even worse here. (my doing, but still)</p><p>Allison on the other hand......</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            When Scott had told her about the murder, she’d had no reason to doubt his conviction. After all, he’d opened the conversation with, “Stiles’ killed someone.” But Allison had seen how Stiles had reacted at school. She’d seen how Isaac had been so quick to defend the new werewolf. But Scott was convinced. They were still meeting in secret, trying to avoid her parents, and now her grandfather. It was sort of thrilling. Yet, Allison couldn’t help but notice how Scott was acting. Initially, when her Dad had told her about Stiles’ eyes, she’d thought she understood everything she needed to. That was why she had no hesitation aiming her bow at Stiles. But, when Chris had found Scott alone in the woods, Allison had listened from her hiding spot. Every word out of her Dad’s mouth was a warning. Warning Scott not to come to see her. Warning Scott about Gerard. Warning Scott not to isolate himself from Stiles. Warning Scott about omegas. Warning Scott not to believe everything he reads about werewolves. Warning Scott to listen to his Alpha. Scott hadn’t listened to a word of it.</p><p>            After Stiles’ reaction at school, Allison had realized that she didn’t know enough. She needed a clearer explanation of what it meant to be a blue-eyed wolf. Her mother wouldn’t tell her anything, and Gerard would tell her the biased truth he’d indoctrinated Kate with. So, when she got home from school, she cornered her Dad in his office, closing the door behind her. “Hey Dad, can I ask you something?”</p><p>            “That would depend on what you’re asking about,” Chris sighed.</p><p>            “I want to ask about Stiles.” Allison held herself upright, ignoring the doubt crawling through her mind.</p><p>            Chris looked up at her and sighed again. “You mean his eyes.” Allison nodded. “Take a seat.” Allison obeyed and her dad took a seat opposite her. “Most hunters don’t make this distinction, but not all blue-eyed wolves are killers. In fact, many are held in high esteem in their packs. They’re seen as protectors.”</p><p>            “But you said they had to kill to have blue eyes.”</p><p>            “That doesn’t mean the kill wasn’t justified. There’s a story that packs tell their young wolves about the eyes. I don’t know it, but I know that it explains the three leaders of a pack: the Alpha, the instinctual leader marked by their red eyes; the second, the one who takes over if the Alpha dies unexpectedly or if the Alpha isn’t present; and the left hand, the one who does whatever needed to protect the pack. Some of the younger packs don’t like the idea of the left hand because it can draw attention from hunters. Older packs have no such qualms. They chose the left hand in each generation based on who the Alpha or the next in line for the Alpha trusts. It doesn’t normally take long for the left hand to earn blue eyes.”</p><p>            “So, they’re the opposite of hunters?” Allison frowned.</p><p>            “They are to their pack what hunters are to normal humans. They operate in the shadows and through whatever means they can. Hunters who follow the code have been known to use the left hand as sources of information for rouge wolves.”</p><p>            “Did you?”</p><p>            Chris nodded. “Before the fire, I worked closely with the Hale pack’s left hand.”</p><p>            “So, what does that mean for Stiles?”</p><p>            “Stiles is young, but every time I’ve met him, he’s been loyal to Scott. Unwaveringly. If he’s in the pack, I’d be willing to bet he’d end up left hand eventually. But that’s not what you’re asking." He fixed her with a firm glare. "Stiles is still Stiles. He’s the same kid you got to know. I don’t want you hanging out with him and Scott, but that doesn’t mean that there’s anything different about him,” Chris said fiercely. “You don’t know the story. You don’t need to.”</p><p>            Allison nodded. “Will his eyes make it hard for him to find a pack?”</p><p>            “They can, but I doubt he’ll leave Scott alone to find one. If Scott’s with Hale, then Stiles is too.”</p><p>            “Thanks, Dad.” Allison forced herself to smile.</p><p>            “Anything else?”</p><p>            “Nope. I’ve got homework.” She gave her dad a hug and darted upstairs. She had been wrong. Oh, so very wrong. Stiles wasn’t the werewolf she should’ve been worried about. Stiles had been smart. He’d joined a pack. He had that protection. He had someone who could help him through the full moons. Scott did not. She hadn’t even considered what being without a pack would do to him. A wolf needs a pack. Without joining Derek and Stiles, Scott would be an omega. A lone wolf. Maybe he already was. She thought back to how quick Scott had been to abandon Stiles, his supposed best friend. To ignore her dad’s warnings. To blame Stiles for a murder he clearly had nothing to do with. Either Scott was already going omega, or he was a horrible friend. Maybe both. Allison pulled out her phone.</p><p>TO LYDIA: Hey, can I ask you for a favor?</p><p>FROM LYDIA: ….</p><p>TO LYDIA: I need you to get a message to Stiles.</p><p>FROM LYDIA: Stiles?</p><p>FROM LYDIA: What do you need to tell Stiles?</p><p>TO LYDIA: Just tell him that I was wrong. And Scott is omega.</p><p>FROM LYDIA: What the hell does that mean?</p><p>TO LYDIA: It’s a code that he and Scott had. He’ll know what it means.</p><p>FROM LYDIA: …</p><p>FROM LYDIA: Fine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Magic Grows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again! It's me with a new chapter for y'all! Y'all have been amazing in the response to this and it's got me excited. <br/>I've got a lot of scenes planned out for this and I cannot wait to get them up. <br/>For those wondering, yes, the pool scene will happen! <br/>We're also getting close to Erica joining the pack since Isaac really is Pack already. </p><p>Let me know what you think so far!<br/>I thrive off comments and kudos!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Derek had left Stiles to his tasks after scenting him in the hopes that it would calm him down. Then Derek headed for his old house. He knew that it was the least likely place to find a copy of the bestiary, but it was too early to go by the vault. He looked through what was left of the library, finding a few books intact with only minimal damage. He gathered those, thinking that they might be useful, even though they weren’t the book he was looking for. He went through the rest of the house collecting whatever books he found that were still salvageable. None of them was the bestiary. Not that he had expected to find it. Peter had always been too clever for his own good. There was one other place he could check besides the vault. He piled the books he’d found into his Camaro and drove to the closed law office that Peter had used before the fire. He slipped around back and ripped the chain off the door, forcing his way inside. The office, which had been sealed since the fire, still smelled like Peter. If Derek focused, he could catch hints of Laura’s scent too. She had been the one to chain the door. This office had been their last stop on the way out of town. No one had been in the building since then. Derek ignored the burning ache of guilt that welled up in him at his sister’s scent. He slipped into Peter’s office and saw an old laptop resting on the desk, papers scattered around it, and an old coffee mug off to the side. It was the desk of a man who had intended to come back, still waiting for him. Derek shoved down the whimper building in his throat. This was not the time to lose himself to grief. He grabbed the laptop and its charger but kept looking around the office, seeing if any of the books were related to the supernatural. His phone rang just as he was leaving the building.</p><p>            “What Stiles?” Derek sighed, not bothering to look at the caller ID. No other living person had his number.</p><p>            “Okay, well first off, Argent knew my dad and they both knew Peter and I have heard things today that have scarred me, and we haven’t even gotten to the real explanations yet,” Stiles complained. “Second, I think we have a Scott problem.”</p><p>            Derek looked up at the sky. “What kind of Scott problem?” he groaned.</p><p>            “Allison had Lydia deliver a message. Which may be the weirdest thing that’s happened this week and I’m now a magic werewolf. She said Scott is omega.”</p><p>            “I’ll check on him before I come back. How’s Isaac?”</p><p>            “Stressed, but better than last night. You find anything?”</p><p>            “Maybe.”</p><p>            “All right. I’m gonna go get the full story of Chris, Peter, and my Dad.” Stiles made a gagging noise. “I’ll give you the highlights when you get back. Later Sourwolf.”</p><p>            “Don’t call me that,” Derek muttered, but Stiles had already hung up the phone. The Alpha sighed and placed the laptop with the books. It was still light out, so he decided to check on Scott before going to the vault. He parked the Camaro at the end of Scott’s street and crept through the wood behind the houses until he made it to Scott’s. He could hear the teen’s heartbeat in his room, steady and calm. Derek climbed the exterior of the house silently to get a look into the room. Scott was on the computer, apparently working on homework. The young wolf didn’t seem much different than any other time Derek had checked on him since he’d turned. He crept closer, breathing in to get a clear scent. And there it was. Barely, but present. A twist in Scott’s scent that couldn’t be attributed to anything emotional. It smelled like something rotting. Derek had smelled it plenty of times before. As much as it pained him to admit it, Allison was right. Scott was going omega. There was still plenty of time though. The Beta probably had another two months before things even started to get bad. It shouldn’t have even impacted him beyond the scent yet. Derek sighed and pulled out his phone.</p><p> </p><p>TO STILES: Argent’s right.</p><p>FROM STILES: SHIT!!! Would you offer him a place in the pack?</p><p> </p><p>            Derek should have expected that. Stiles and Scott had grown up together. They were practically brothers. It makes sense that Stiles would want Scott in their pack. It wasn’t like Scott was a bad werewolf either. Though most of that was because of Stiles. Derek had seen firsthand how much Scott had relied on Stiles for plans and help. He had also seen how quick Scott was to leave Stiles behind at the first hint of trouble. He had seen how Scott dismissed his supposed friend once Scott was popular.</p><p> </p><p>TO STILES: Do you want me too?</p><p>FROM STILES: Is there another pack in the area? One that would take him in?</p><p>TO STILES: We can look. Not ours?</p><p>FROM STILES: I wasn’t lying when I said he wouldn’t join if I did.</p><p>FROM STILES: You can offer but he won’t take it.</p><p>FROM STILES: Another pack is a better option </p><p>FROM STILES: Besides Isaac doesn’t like him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Derek failed to be annoyed by the four separate texts. It reminded him of how Stiles talked, words spilling out before his brain could fully catch up. He slipped off the McCall roof and jogged back to his car. He didn’t stop to consider why he felt so proud of Stiles taking how Isaac, who wasn’t pack yet, felt into consideration. Nor did he want to examine why it had hurt when he thought Stiles wanted Scott back. He told himself it was just being protective of his pack, but a part of him knew that was wrong. He stopped by the vault, which produced nothing of use, before returning to the Stilinski house with the fruits of his labor. He walked in and dropped the books and laptop on the table, finding both Stilinski men, sitting in the living room glaring at each other. Isaac was in the corner of the room, looking more than a little uncomfortable, but smelling amused. Derek raised an eyebrow and frowned at the trio.</p><p>            “Evening Derek,” the Sheriff said, arms crossed and still staring at his son. “Take a seat.”</p><p>            “Will you tell me <em>now?”</em> Stiles grumbled.</p><p>            Noah nodded. “I will tell you now that your whole pack is here,” he said. His voice was even but tense. Stiles rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated with his father. “And maybe we can stop repeating things seven times to make sure everyone knows.”</p><p>            “If you had told me, I could have condensed and explained everything all at once instead of a ridiculous round-robin discussion where everybody’s talking, and nobody has time to think things over.” Stiles crossed his arms, looking like he wanted to bare his teeth at his father. It was clear this argument had been happening for a long time. Probably since he got off the phone with Stiles. The Alpha sighed and met Isaac’s eyes from across the room. The young human kept his face mostly clear, but there was a glint in his eye. He was enjoying the Stilinski Stalemate. Derek rolled his eyes and dropped into the empty armchair.</p><p>            “Do you want to know or not?” the Sheriff asked, raising an eyebrow. Stiles huffed, but settled back in the couch, glaring at his father. “Good. Now, why don’t you tell your Alpha exactly what you asked me to get everybody on the same page.” Stiles’ eyes flashed blue, but he turned to Derek looking marginally calmer.</p><p>            “I cornered Dad when he got home and asked him how he knew Chris Argent. He said they were on the same team in high school. Then, he stopped talking,” Stiles explained before fixing his stare back on the Sheriff. “He didn’t just stop talking. He went and grabbed a photo album that I didn’t know existed, that smells like Chris Argent <em>and</em> Peter Hale, and sat down refusing to talk.” Derek saw the book in question sitting on the table beside Noah’s armchair. He scented the air and sure enough, his uncle’s base scent was on the book, faded like it was in his old law office, and mixing with Stilinski and Argent. Derek raised an eyebrow and looked at the Sheriff.</p><p>            “It’s from our high school years,” Noah offered. “We made it together before I went off to serve, and Peter went to New York for school. Back in our day, it was more than a little taboo for us.”</p><p>            “For us?” Isaac said after a moment of silence. Stiles looked frozen like his brain had stalled out.</p><p>            “We couldn’t date openly, for several reasons. Apparently, not just the reasons I thought,” he snorted. Things around the room started floating like they always did when Stiles started thinking too hard. At first, it was just the books, but both the coffee table and the end tables quickly joined them. The Sheriff watched in awe.</p><p>            “Stiles,” Derek said. The beta didn’t react, and the books started spinning, slowly at first but gaining speed. “Stiles.” Stiles jolted and everything crashed down. Electric blue eyes found Derek and Stiles’ heartbeat, which had been speeding, slowed to its normal (still fast) pace. Derek raised his eyebrows and flicked his eyes to the overturned coffee table. Thankfully the end tables were still upright. Stiles followed the trail of chaos around the room and let out a groan.</p><p>            “Stiles,” Noah started.</p><p>            “Don’t!” Stiles snapped. “Just don’t. Yes, it was magic. No, I don’t know why it keeps happening, but I’m working on figuring out how to control it. We were talking about you.” Stiles paled a bit. “And Peter Hale and Chris Argent.”</p><p>            The Sheriff glared at him. “I was going to say I haven’t seen you do that since before you started on your Adderall.” Stiles jolted again, and Derek was worried that he was about to send the chairs flying. “Your mom tried to hide it, but, when she started getting worse, I saw it. Was never this bad though.” Noah gestured around at the damage Stiles had caused. “But sure. Let’s talk about Peter and Chris.”</p><p>            Stiles looked like he wanted to argue or break down. Instead, he just nodded. “Please.”</p><p>            “We met playing basketball. Chris was a year ahead of Peter and me. Peter and Chris already had a relationship, and they dragged me into it when they noticed me watching Peter. I didn’t know what Peter was. I didn’t know what Chris was. I haven’t had contact with either since this whole thing began. We broke up at graduation. I had already enlisted, and Chris was heading for an arraigned marriage. When I came back, I had Claudia and Peter kept his distance. Chris, of course, had already moved,” Noah explained.</p><p>            “How did they deal with the whole werewolf and werewolf hunter thing?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            “It’s more common than you’d think,” Derek muttered.</p><p>            “You’d have to ask them,” the Sheriff sighed.</p><p>            “Well, one of them is dead and the other wants us dead so I don’t think we’re gonna do that,” Stiles managed. “So, you don’t know how Chris would know about my magic?”</p><p>            “I didn’t even know you still had your magic, kid.”</p><p>            “Peter might have told him, before the fire,” Derek offered. “I don’t think he would have told Chris everything, but maybe enough to figure it out.”</p><p>            “Sounds possible, but Peter was always careful when he talked about his family while we were together. Now, if any of you wants to know anything else, you can take a look at this.” Noah held up the photo album before setting it on one of the end tables. “I’d say we have a bigger concern.” He fixed Stiles with a glare. Stiles groaned again, burying his face in his hands. “Stiles,” his father sighed.</p><p>            “I’m trying,” Stiles whined, “but if Mom had books to help with this, they aren’t with the rest of her stuff.”</p><p>            “No, they wouldn’t be. She once told me that she had a friend watching some books for her that you may find interesting one day. She said he’d come when you needed him, but that was after she started getting sick,” Noah explained, a far off look in his eyes. Stiles moved to pull his dad into a hug. Noah tugged him down onto the couch beside him. “She used to say you’d have a big family someday that would keep the two of us safe, no matter what happened to her.” The younger Stilinski whimpered, pressing closer to his father. Derek knew why. He could smell the grief pouring off the Sheriff, still strong even so many years later. After a moment, Derek cleared his throat, needing to change the subject to ease the Sheriff’s pain.</p><p>            “She was talking about the Hale Pack,” he said. Noah looked at him over Stiles’ shoulder. “She’d arraigned a place for Stiles in the pack with my mom in exchange for her giving her knowledge of magic to Peter. They used to meet every week. She might have left her books with him.”</p><p>            “So, they’re probably gone,” Isaac said quietly.</p><p>            Stiles let out a sound somewhere between a whimper and a groan. “So I’m stuck going to Deaton,” he muttered into his father’s shoulder. The Sheriff pushed his son back, but not off him entirely.</p><p>            “Did you just say, Deaton? The veterinarian?” Noah’s eyebrows were creased together. The confusion starting to mask the pain in his scent. Stiles nodded with a shrug.</p><p>            “He’s the only other person in town who knows about werewolves, and I know he’s hiding something else. Maybe he can at least help me find somebody who knows how to deal with magic.” Stiles’ words were still muffled by the Sheriff’s shoulder.</p><p>            “He used to be an advisor for our pack,” Derek explained. “But I don’t trust him. We might be able to find her books somewhere else. Peter wouldn’t have kept her books at the house. Especially not after Jonah started showing signs of magic.”</p><p>            “Jonah?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            “Peter’s son,” Stiles said.</p><p>            “If he had Claudia’s books, he would have kept them somewhere he thought invulnerable. Peter cared deeply about his family,” the Sheriff said. “I think I know where he might have kept them.”</p><p>            “Where?” Derek growled. It wasn’t angry, it was desperate.</p><p>            Noah picked up the photo album and started flipping through it. “There was a house we used to meet at that was owned by the Hales. He used to say that only he knew about it.” Stiles perked up a bit, looking over his father’s shoulder at the pictures. When he found the one, he was looking for, he thrust the book at Derek. Derek looked down at the picture. There were two boys around Stiles’ age. One was clearly Peter, he was looking away from the camera, keeping his eyes closed to prevent the lens flare that usually happened with ‘wolf eyes. The other looked like Stiles minus the moles and with blue eyes. They were on the steps of a house that Derek didn’t recognize curled together.  </p><p>            “Where is this?” he demanded.</p><p>            “I wish I knew, but Peter always drove,” Noah sighed. Stiles grabbed the book from Derek’s hands and started muttering about two stories, and crown molding. Derek was only able to hear part of it.</p><p>            “I got it!” Stiles exclaimed suddenly cutting off his own inaudible ramble. “It’s been empty for a few years, but that makes sense if it was Hale owned. It’s on the other end of Scott’s neighborhood.” A light bulb exploded and the whole room jumped as it went dark. Stiles groaned again.</p><p>            “We should definitely check it out tomorrow,” Isaac declared.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Finding the Instructions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Lot's of feels in this chapter. More magical mishaps and more questions, but we're starting to get there! The next chapter will be bringing Lydia in deeper and maybe bringing Erica in on the secrets.</p><p> </p><p>Let me know what you think in the comments! Y'all have been amazing so far!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Stiles was getting frustrated with his magic. After he’d cleaned up his exploding lightbulb trick, he’d gone to his room to see if he could find some kind of research on real magic with his Google-fu. All he ended up with was a late night and more incidents of accidental magic. It seemed like it was getting worse. He wasn’t sure if it was his system had cleared the last of the Adderall or if the full moon had somehow jump-started his magic. Even after he got to sleep, it didn’t stop. He woke up three times to the sounds of something crashing to the ground. The last time he woke up, he was the thing crashing to the ground. Well, his bed was. Which he was on. Needless to say, that woke the others in the house. Thankfully, it was around the time they needed to be getting up for work and school. Isaac was the first in his room, looking just a little frantic. Derek was there seconds later, eyes glowing red. Stiles sat up, rubbing his neck and rolling his shoulders. “Sorry,” Stiles muttered. Derek cast his eyes around the room before letting the glow fade.</p><p>            “What fell?” Derek sighed, clearly more resigned to Stiles’ magic than Stiles was.</p><p>            “Me. Actually, my bed, but I was on it,” Stiles grumbled. Isaac let out an amused snort and Stiles glared at him.</p><p>            “Everyone all right?” The Sheriff called from the hallway.</p><p>            “We’re fine,” Isaac said, disappearing from Stiles’ view. Presumably to explain things to the Sheriff. Derek moved in and sat on the bed beside Stiles. He ran his hand along Stiles’ arm in a comforting fashion, scenting him.</p><p>            “We’ll figure it out, Stiles,” Derek said gently. “It won’t be like this forever.”</p><p>            “But it is like this<em> now</em>,” Stiles whined. “I can’t get lost in my thoughts like this but without my Adderall, I can’t focus enough to keep myself from spiraling. And it’s getting worse! I’ve gotten lucky at School so far, but with hunters in the front office the second I have a slip I’ll be the target of every hunter in hundred miles. And to make things even worse, no one seems to know what the hell I am. Not even in the dark recesses of the internet where the supernatural is not only discussed but is accurate does anyone have any clue what kind of magic user is born with magic <em>and </em>keeps it if they get the bite. Not only is there no clue, but the consensus also seems to be that I should be dead. So overall really not great.” Stiles let out a frustrated growl as he flailed a bit. A few books clattered to the ground and he groaned. “I can’t go to school like this.”</p><p>            “Stiles,” Derek sighed.</p><p>            “I’m serious, Derek. I’m gonna send a desk flying the second Harris calls on me.”</p><p>            “I know, Stiles, but you can’t avoid school forever. We may not be able to find her books.”</p><p>            “I can homeschool,” Stiles insisted, miserably.</p><p>            “If it comes to that. For now, we check out the other house. If we don’t find the books there, we’ll make a plan,” Derek said firmly. “Get dressed.” Then he left the room, tugging the door closed behind him. Stiles slowly obeyed. By the time he made it downstairs, Isaac and the Sheriff were chatting about school at the table with a plate full of pancakes in front of them. Derek was at the stove cooking. He put another plate on the table and met Stiles’ eyes expectantly before turning back to the pan and the rest of the batter. Stiles sat down and started eating, unable to take his eyes of the big bad Alpha in plaid pajama pants fixing pancakes in his kitchen. There was a bit of flour on his shirt, and his hair was still messy from sleep. It was almost laughably domestic. He hadn’t even known that Derek could cook.</p><p>            “Stiles, you aren’t going to school today, are you?” Noah asked. Stiles dropped his fork.</p><p>            “What would make you say that, Daddio?” Stiles gulped.</p><p>            Noah raised an eyebrow. “Stiles.”</p><p>            “We’re going to look for her books today,” Derek said sitting down with his own plate of pancakes. “Isaac is going to school. You have work. I’ll be with Stiles to make sure nothing happens.” Sheriff Stilinski scanned Derek before nodding approvingly</p><p>            “All right. And if something happens, you’ll call me.” The Sheriff stood and deposited his empty plate in the sink. He disappeared upstairs to get ready for his job. Stiles frowned.</p><p>            “Your dad is pretty cool,” Isaac said, munching on the remainder of his pancakes. “He’s gonna drop me at school on his way. Hope you find those books.” Isaac dropped his plate with Noah’s and darted upstairs to his room. Stiles watched him go. Derek shoved his plate closer to him.</p><p>            “Eat, Stiles,” Derek ordered, eating his own pancakes.</p><p>            “Why are you doing this?” Stiles asked, even as he started eating. Derek raised an eyebrow but didn’t verbally reply. There was a tugging feeling in his gut that Stiles had started attributing to the pack bonds. It calmed him a bit, but it didn’t really answer his question. They ate in silence except for a rushed goodbye to the Sheriff and Isaac as they left. When they finished eating, Stiles did the dishes, rambling a little to get the excess energy out. He wasn’t even sure what he was rambling about when Derek disappeared into the basement, obviously ignoring him. The Alpha resurfaced a few minutes later, looking like his normal gruff self with his arms full. Stiles had finished the dishes and was wiping down the counters, just for something to do. He dropped the rag in the sink and turned back to Derek. Derek set a small pile of books and an older laptop on the table. He plugged the laptop in and pulled out his keys. “And those are?”</p><p>            “What I found yesterday. We can look at them after we check out the house,” Derek declared. Stiles shrugged and followed Derek out the door, locking the house behind him. Red sparks jumped from his hand to the lock making it glow for a second. Derek made a humming noise from behind him. “Still getting stronger?”</p><p>            “More like stranger,” Stiles snorted. Derek rolled his eyes. It took about ten minutes to get to the right neighborhood and another five to locate the right house. The colors were much more faded than they had been in the picture, but the house features were the same. It was further reaffirmed when Derek stiffened. Stiles shot him a look.</p><p>            “Smells like Peter,” he grumbled. Derek tried the door, but Stiles wasn’t really surprised to find it locked. He pushed past his Alpha and knelt down to pick the lock. Derek frowned at him. “How long have you known how to do that?”</p><p>            “A few years,” Stiles muttered. “I got bored a while back.”</p><p>            “And you learned how to pick a lock?” The disbelief was clear in his voice.</p><p>            “I learned a lot of things.” The lock clicked, and he pushed the door open. A buzzing feeling suddenly ran up his arms and he grabbed Derek before he could move.</p><p>            “Stiles,” Derek warned.</p><p>            “Something is off. I can’t explain it.” Stiles reached for the door frame with a hesitant hand. Suddenly, red sparks jumped from his hand to the wood and glowing red runes appeared all along the frame. The buzzing turned into a gentle hum, that felt more like a welcome than the attack it had at first. It was almost familiar. Stiles stared at the runes. Derek frowned at where he was still kneeling in front of the open door. “He-uh, he must have had someone ward the place.”</p><p>            “Someone?”</p><p>            “Probably my mom,” Stiles ceded. He got to his feet and dusted off his jeans. “Should be fine now.” He fell quiet as they went into the house. He could smell the stale scents of Peter’s family. And his mother. He wasn’t exactly sure how he could tell the flowers and cinnamon scent that he caught was hers, but he did. It was stronger in certain places like she’d spent a lot of time there. The first room was a living room filled with bookcases and comfortable seats. Stiles found himself following her smell to where it was the strongest: a small notebook resting on a side table next to a large cushy armchair. He picked up the notebook with shaking hands. Inside the first page was his mother’s handwriting. It read: <em>To my Mischief. May it help you when I’m gone. I love you, mój skarb.</em> Derek’s hand gripped his shoulder as tears burned. He didn’t have control of his shift and could feel his fangs digging into his lip. Stiles knew that his magic was reacting too. Books were sliding off the shelves in front of him and hovering in the air, beginning to spin. Then the buzz came back. The books slid back onto the shelves, back into their appropriate places. He was still partially shifted, but the magic had stopped.</p><p>            “Stiles?” Derek was still gripping his shoulder. Stiles focused on him, on his heartbeat, on his scent, and managed to get control of his shift again.</p><p>            “I’m fine,” Stiles said quietly.</p><p>            “You didn’t drop the books this time.”</p><p>            “It wasn’t me.” Stiles looked over at Derek. “I don’t know what it is, but it wasn’t me.” Derek glanced around, eyes landing on the notebook in Stiles’ hand.</p><p>            “What’s it mean?” Derek asked, pointing to the Polish with his free hand.</p><p>            “My treasure.” Stiles ran a hand over it.</p><p>            “Read it. I’ll look through the rest of the house to see what’s here.” Derek gave his shoulder another squeeze before disappearing into the house. Stiles read the inscription again as he sunk into the armchair filled with his mother’s scent. Then he turned the page and started reading the careful handwriting that filled the page.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Batman Begins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Isaac dodges questions. Stiles learns a few things. Derek loses patience.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello! I'm not sure if you remember me since it's been a while since I updated this. Which I'm truly sorry about. <br/>But I'm so grateful for the continued feedback from y'all which has kept me writing.</p><p>The problem was I kept writing the wrong scenes. (They'll come up later on. Like the pool scene and the Sheriff's Station massacre.)<br/>BTW: This is less edited than my other chapter so if you see a typo, let me know please so I can fix it!</p><p>Anyways, I hope you enjoy this. Let me know with kudos and comments!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> <span>Isaac didn’t like school. He’d never been that good at it, and it didn’t really interest him. He paid attention mostly because his father punished him for bad grades. But the last few days talking to Stiles at school had been almost enjoyable. When the Sheriff dropped him off at school without Stiles though, it was weird. It wasn’t like he’d spent a lot of time with Stiles before. And it had only been two days at the Stilinski house. Yet as he walked in without Stiles, it felt like something was missing. Erica was glued to his side in an instant. “Where’s Stilinski?” she purred, leaning into him.</span></p><p> <span>Isaac shrugged her off. Somehow, her touching him felt different than Stiles.  “Wasn’t feeling good,” he muttered.</span></p><p> <span>“He seemed fine yesterday.” She tugged at the sleeves of her sweatshirt as she followed after him. “He can’t go skipping school when I’m just getting used to being friends again,” she whined. Isaac snorted. She glared at him. “Not all of us live with our friends.”</span></p><p> <span>“I didn’t choose that,” he snapped. She held up her hands, backing away. “I mean, it’s just new, I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck.</span></p><p> <span>“I’m sorry. Probably not a good topic,” Erica mumbled. She wrapped her arms around herself.</span></p><p> <span>“I don’t really care. It’s just weird.” Isaac frowned.</span></p><p> <span>“Well, Stiles is weird, so that makes sense.” She smiled over at him shyly. Isaac nodded. “So, I’ll see you at lunch.” She waved a bit and split off to her class. Isaac went to his. The class after that, Allison Argent took a seat beside him. It was one of the only classes he had with her and without Scott.</span></p><p> <span>He glared at her. “Can I help you?” he snarled.</span></p><p> <span>“Is Stiles okay?” Allison asked.</span></p><p> <span>“What do you care?” Isaac pointedly did not look at her.</span></p><p> <span>She leaned in closer. “He’s a part of your pack, right?” Isaac tensed. “You and him and Derek?”</span></p><p> <span>“What do you want?” Isaac growled, not missing the huntress’s implication.</span></p><p> <span>“I want to apologize to him, and I want to make sure he’s okay. We were friends.” Allison sounded sincere. “I was wrong.”</span></p><p> <span>“Stiles is fine when you’re not accusing him of murder.” Isaac glared at her.</span></p><p> <span>“I was wrong,” she repeated. Then she moved back to her normal seat. Isaac couldn’t wait for lunch. When he finally made it to the lunchroom, there was only one table left with seats, so he and Erica sat down at Vernon Boyd’s table. He glared at them but didn’t do anything else, so Isaac ignored him. He and Erica were in a nice discussion about what the best horror movie was when Lydia Martin sat down beside Erica, stopping her mid-sentence. Boyd frowned over at them.</span></p><p> <span>“Lahey, what is going on with Stilinski?” Lydia demanded.</span></p><p> <span>“Uh,” Isaac replied, mouth hanging open a bit. Like most of the guys in his grade, he’d had a crush on Lydia for a while. After the humiliation that came from being rejected by her, he’d gotten over it. That didn’t make it any less shocking to suddenly have her glaring across the table at him. “He’s sick.”</span></p><p> <span>“Please. Stiles doesn’t get sick. He skips school. This is just another in a very long line of crap that he and McCall have pulled, including what ever the hell they were doing in the school in the middle of the night a few weeks ago. A week ago they were practically glued at the hip whenever Scott wasn’t with Allison and now they haven’t spoken to each other in days and they’re fighting in the halls. I know something else is going on and it’s got nothing to do with being sick.” Lydia smiled sweetly, but it read more as a threat.</span></p><p> <span>“They had a fight,” Isaac tried.</span></p><p> <span>“They don’t fight. I’ve known them for years. Even after Stiles got them arrested or Scott broke Stiles’ arm, they weren’t like this. And they are not the only thing that doesn’t make sense in this town, but I know Stiles knows what’s going on. And I know that he told you.” Another sweet smile full of ice.</span></p><p> <span>“There’s nothing going on,” Isaac insisted. That might have worked better if Erica hadn’t rolled her eyes.</span></p><p> <span>Lydia tilted her head. “Tell Stiles that I’m coming over after school, and we are having that discussion he promised. Understand?” Lydia left the table, flicking her hair over her shoulder.</span></p><p> <span>“Shit,” Isaac muttered. He pulled out his phone and shot a text off warning Stiles.</span></p><p> <span>“Whatever you and Batman know, I want in,” Erica said, looking over her shoulder at where Lydia had rejoined her usual table with Allison and Scott.</span></p><p> <span>“Batman?” Isaac frowned.</span></p><p> <span>“Stiles.”</span></p><p> <span>“I figured, but why is he Batman?”</span></p><p> <span>“Cause he’s the one who’s keeping secrets. You’re Robin.”</span></p><p> <span>“I am not Robin,” Isaac blanched. Erica grinned wickedly at him.</span></p><p> <span>“Sounds like you are,” Boyd offered, not looking at either of them.</span></p><p> <span>“I win!” Erica cackled. Isaac’s face was burning.</span></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>         Stiles had read the whole notebook in less than an hour. It turns out that Stiles is a Spark. A kind of magic user that normally relies on belief that typically descends from older werewolf lines, like his mother’s. Since her father had been a werewolf apparently, and she had grown up with the Gajos pack in Poland. Because Sparks were still mostly human, they had an equal chance when it came to the bite as anybody else did. Stiles absorbed the information, taking note of books that were referenced and things he wanted to do more research on. When he was done, he had a list of things to do to help him with control. He also had an armful of spell books and books on magic theory to work through that he brought home with him. While Stiles had been reading, Derek had been exploring the house. He’d found a room hidden off the main bedroom that housed a safe. Instead of getting Stiles to try and pick the lock, the Alpha had ripped the safe open. And, while Stiles definitely disapproved of the method, Derek had found what they’d been looking for: a hard copy of the Hale Bestiary. At least, that’s what the title said. When he shoved it at Stiles as they were leaving, he didn’t seem nearly as happy as the beta expected him to be. “What’s with the grumping? You found it,” Stiles said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>         “Open the book,” Derek growled back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          Stiles did as he was bid and groaned. “It’s in code? No, wait. Hang on. This isn’t even code. It’s an index.” Stiles groaned again. “Your Uncle was fucking paranoid, Derek.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>         “Clearly.” He started the car, heading back for the Stilinski house. It was still early in the day, so Stiles decided he’d focus on the first book his mother had recommended on control and then try to figure out the index. Derek was attempting to boot up the old laptop while reading through some of the books he’d brought back the day before. He wasn’t as fast a reader as Stiles, but they had both made significant progress by the time Stiles phone went off. Derek raised his eyes and looked over at where Stiles had his books and notes spread across the floor and coffee table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Message from Isaac. Lydia’s coming over after school. Apparently, she cornered him and Erica at lunch.” Stiles frowned, staring down at his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Erica?” Derek asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “She’s a new old friend.” His phone went off again. “Who is apparently just as curious as Lydia. I seriously hope they don’t show up together because none of us need that team up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Lydia’s asking questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Yeah. After Peter bit her and she disappeared for a while, she started having hallucinations. Or she’s had at least one. Either way, she’s in this neck deep and there’s something going on with her that is most definitely Peter’s fault.” Stiles sighed. “So, anyways. I need help with something.” Derek quirked an eyebrow. “All three of these books say the best way to stop uncontrolled magic is a rune tattoo thing. It’s not done with needles, thank God, but they have to be in certain places to work and the first one has to be on my back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>           “You want me to tattoo a rune on your back,” Derek said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>           “No, I want you to paint a rune on my back, once I get the ink, which I can get in town after lunch. It should stop most if not all of the whole things randomly floating and spinning crap.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Why not wait for your dad?” Derek sighed, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          Stiles felt his face heat up. “Uh, well, it won’t work if he does it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “I mean, if I hadn’t been bitten he could’ve helped just fine, but now I’m a part of a pack and a pack leader has to put the first rune on. Preferably the alpha, but the book says the emissary or left hand would work too.” Stiles ducked his head, refusing to look at Derek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Fine,” the Alpha growled, annoyance radiating through the pack bond. Stiles could also feel something behind the annoyance that he couldn’t discern. It almost seemed like worry, but that didn’t make sense. Stiles smiled over at Derek, who was pointedly staring at the screen in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Thanks.” Stiles darted to the kitchen and made a quick lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and some leftover stew he’d made earlier in the week. When he set the food on the table in front of Derek, the Alpha looked at him in confusion. Stiles just shrugged and shoved a sandwich into his mouth. Eventually Derek closed the old laptop and ate the food presented to him. Stiles finished first and grabbed his keys. “I’ll be back in an hour.” He didn’t expect Derek to follow him out. “Really?” Stiles frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “You’re not going in public alone when spacing out can send tables flying,” Derek declared with a grimace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>          “Whatever Sourwolf.” Stiles rolled his eyes.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Queen of Questions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello! It's been a while and I'm really sorry about that. I was really struggling with Lydia's scenes, but I have them now and hopefully, the next update won't take a month. </p><p>The feedback on this has been incredible. I hope y'all are still enjoying it. Let me know in the comments and please leave kudos if you like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Lydia sat with Allison in their free period. Allison was talking about a date with Scott at the Ice rink that night, which she invited Lydia to. Lydia declined. “My evening is spoken for,” she said airily. Allison frowned.</p><p>            “You have a date?” Alison asked.</p><p>            “Something like that.”</p><p>            “I thought Jackson was avoiding you.”</p><p>            “It’s not with Jackson,” Lydia hissed. She tugged on the chain around her neck where his house key rested. “I’m studying with a different Lacrosse player tonight.” Allison just pursed her lips and nodded. “Besides, why would I want to freeze my ass off while you make eyes at Scott all night? Pass.”</p><p>            “All right.” Allison returned to her homework, while Lydia pulled out her compact mirror.</p><p>            “The only reason I would come tonight is if you and Scott intended to tell me what exactly has been happening in this town since I know you both know something.” Lydia raised a perfect eyebrow and turned her green eyes on Allison. Allison paled.</p><p>            “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>            “Of course not.” Lydia rolled her eyes. She snapped her mirror closed and left the library. She caught a glimpse of a man turning down the stairway ahead of her. He had messy hair and a long leather trench coat and bare feet coated in mud. “Hey,” she called. The man didn’t turn. She followed him through the school only ever seeing him from the back. He stopped in front of a trophy case looking at a specific picture. Lydia stopped to look at the picture he’d been looking at, but when she looked back up the man was gone. She pulled out her phone and took a picture of the case in front of her. Then she left the school and headed straight for Stiles Stilinski’s house determined to understand what was happening to her and her town.</p><p> </p><p>            Derek was not prepared to paint a rune on Stiles’ back. It didn’t matter that he had a couple of hours, a trip to a strange shop that smelled like herbs and burned his nose, and previous experience giving tattoos. There is nothing that would prepare him for this. Stiles carefully explained that it needed to go on his back directly over his heart. He showed him the design and had him practice several times before removing both his shirts and baring his back to the Alpha. Derek found himself hesitating before he allowed the brush to touch the pale mole-covered skin in front of him. Stiles glanced over his shoulder expectantly, faith vibrating through their pack bond. Derek took a deep breath and started painting the intricate lines of the rune right behind Stiles’ heart. The black ink was a stark contrast and the woodsy scent of it mixing with Stiles’. It took about twenty minutes because Derek wanted to be sure he didn’t mess the symbol up. The second it was finished, it flared Alpha red, and Stiles let out a yelp. The smell of the ink on his skin was gone. “Done,” Derek said. Stiles immediately darted to the bathroom to try and look at it. When he came back he was beaming.</p><p>            “Looks great dude,” he said.</p><p>            “Don’t call me dude,” Derek growled. Stiles ignored him like he always did. Somehow it wasn’t as annoying as it had been.</p><p>            “This means that I can go to school tomorrow and not worry about sending chemicals flying. Hey, what color was the magic when the rune settled?” Stiles tilted his head a bit.</p><p>            “Settled.”</p><p>            “I think you’re asking a question there but it’s hard to tell when you use the wrong punctuation.” Stiles grinned. “That’s what it’s called when a rune is placed. They’re supposed to flash the color of the user’s magic then settle. If they settle right, they’re permanent. If they settle wrong, they’re supposed to fade. Like, instantly. But my question was about the color.”</p><p>            “Red.”</p><p>            “Really?” Stiles got a strange look on his face. Derek just glared at him. “Okay, jeez. Lighten up, Sourwolf.” He pulled his t-shirt back on, followed quickly by his flannel. “Hey, let me see the Bestiary again.” Stiles reached out for the book as he plopped down on the couch. He stayed there looking at it intensely for a few minutes. Derek took a seat in one of the armchairs picking up Peter’s laptop. He had been sorting through the files on it, but nothing seemed to be what he was looking for. Suddenly, Stiles straightened up wide eyes on the book in front of him. He made an excited noise as he broke into a smile.</p><p>             Derek looked up at him. “What.”</p><p>             “I know what this is.” Stiles waved the book. “It’s a file index. It’s like a card catalog. See, it’s divided by topic: Other Shifters, Magic-Users, stuff like that. And each of these groups of letters and numbers is a file name.” Stiles was off the couch grabbing the laptop. Derek let him, as he watched curiously. “If we search the file name then maybe we can find the file on here.” Stiles started typing in the first file name from the page labeled other shifters into the computer’s search bar. A file came up on the screen and Stiles clicked on it. It opened a page that looked like it had been scanned in from an old book showing a detailed drawing of a coyote. Below it was an entry detailing information about werecoyotes. Stiles pumped his fist as he crowed in victory.</p><p>             “We still don’t know what Jackson is,” Derek pointed out.</p><p>             “No, but we have information to sort through. We type in the file names and document what it’s labeled as and if it fits what you saw Jackson turn into. Obviously, it was not a werecoyote since you said he had scales.” Stiles grabbed one of his notebooks and opened it to a new page. He wrote down “Other Shifters” at the top of the page then carefully wrote out the file name followed by the creature name. “This way if we ever need to look up a creature again, we have a foundation and don’t have to go through the whole damn thing again.” Stiles typed in the next file name and repeated the process when a file on werefoxes came up. Stiles dragged the computer over to his seat on the couch, typing and writing as he went through the bestiary. Derek watched him for a while, feeling something strange settle in his gut as Stiles worked with a singular focus. It was fascinating to watch as the teen’s world narrowed down to his task. Stiles didn’t notice when a car pulled up in the driveway. Or when the smell of cherries wafted through the door. In fact, he didn’t break his concentrated pattern until someone knocked on the door. Hard. Stiles jumped, knocking his notebook to the floor as he scrambled to ensure the laptop didn’t join it.</p><p>             “Does Lydia smell like cherries?” Derek asked, biting back a grin. Stiles glared at him.</p><p>             “Yes, she does.” Then his face scrunched up as he seemed to realize why Derek was asking. “Oh!” he jumped to his feet, managing to safely set the laptop down before tripping on the way to the door. Derek rolled his eyes. Stiles was still clumsy no matter what he was.</p><p>            Lydia Martin had an intimidating aura as she stormed into the Stilinski house. Her green eyes carefully scanned over the room, fixing on Derek. Even the Alpha felt uncomfortable under her gaze. "Derek Hale. Still a wanted criminal?" She huffed. Stiles rolled his eyes as he walked past her and reclaimed his seat on the couch.</p><p>            "He was cleared. And besides, it wasn't him in the school anyway. It was his uncle." Stiles explained. She raised an eyebrow, turning her intense stare to him. "Take a seat, Lydia. It's a long story." Stiles gestured to the empty armchair across from him. "Where do you want to start?" Stiles grinned, spreading his arms out.</p><p>            Lydia pursed her lips. "Start with who the hell this is." She pulled out her phone and held it out to Stiles. Stiles took it, keeping his face clear even as his scent spiked with fear.</p><p>            "Derek," he muttered, turning the phone so that Derek could see. On it was a picture of a picture. It was slightly blurry and there was a glare on part of it, but Derek still recognized the subject.</p><p>            "Peter," Derek growled. He glared at Lydia.</p><p>            "Why'd you take this picture?" Stiles asked with a frown.</p><p>            Lydia hesitated. Her scent soured with doubt. "It happened again. The same man from last time. I followed him to the trophy case and he stopped, looking at this picture."</p><p>            "No one else saw him?" Derek asked. She glared at him but ultimately nodded.</p><p>            "Alright, Lydia. Just calm down a bit," Stiles said, drawing the glare back to him. "This is Peter Hale. Or it used to be."</p><p>            "The coma patient who went missing a few weeks ago. I assume he's no longer in a coma."</p><p>            "Well no. He's dead now. Or mostly dead cause he's definitely got something to do with whatever is happening to you."</p><p>            "What does a dead man who I never met have to do with my hallucinations?"</p><p>            "You have met him, actually. The night of the formal. He's the one that attacked you."</p><p>            "They said it was an animal attack." Lydia frowned.</p><p>            "A mountain lion?" Derek said, raising an eyebrow. "Like the night at the video store." Lydia's whole body tensed up. "It wasn't a mountain lion. It was a werewolf."</p><p>            "A werewolf." Lydia echoed. Derek nodded.</p><p>            "Uh yeah. Peter's a werewolf. He was an Alpha before he died, but now Derek's the Alpha." Stiles said quickly. "And he's a lot better than Peter was cause Peter kept biting people against their will and trying to force them into his pack. That's what he was doing that night at the school. Trying to force Scott to kill is and join his pack."</p><p>            "Scott's a werewolf?"</p><p>            "Uh yeah."</p><p>            "And Derek." Stiles nodded. "And you?" Another nod. "Prove it." Stiles looked to Derek and waited for the Alpha to nod before shifting. Lydia didn't react. Her heartbeat didn't waver. Her scent didn't change. "It's the bite that changes you?" She asked as Stiles let his shift fade.</p><p>            "Only the bite of an Alpha," Derek explained, frowning at her.</p><p>            "And Peter was an Alpha when he attacked me." Lydia scanned the two wolves for confirmation. "He bit me. Yet I am not a werewolf."</p><p>            "As far as we can tell, you're immune. We don't know why, but it's probably connected to why Peter but you and why you're having hallucinations," Stiles said carefully. It was obvious he was waiting for her to lash out or break down. To be honest so was Derek, but he suspected it wouldn't happen.</p><p>            "Before we go back to that, I have more questions. Why is Derek in your house and why weren't you in school today?"</p><p>            "Well, Derek's here because my dad would arrest him if he tried to stay where he had been staying." Stiles shrugged.</p><p>            "Your Dad knows?"</p><p>            "Yeah."</p><p>            "And Derek is staying here because?"</p><p>            "He's my Alpha and he needed a place to stay that wasn't collapsing on him." Derek suppressed the pride that formed in his chest when Stiles called him Alpha.</p><p>            "So you're a pack. Like real wolves but with a different social structure." Lydia decided. Derek nodded.</p><p>            "Do you have to be a werewolf to be pack?" She raised an eyebrow.</p><p>            "Anyone can join a pack so long as the Alpha approves them. Before the fire, we had humans, witches, and a banshee in our pack." Derek explained.</p><p>            "The fire killed them?"</p><p>            "Not so all of them," Stiles said before Derek could respond. "But most of them. We've been looking through the bestiary. Uh, you weren’t the only one who got the bite that didn’t turn. Jackson did too. Except he did turn, just not into a werewolf. He’s something else and we’ve been trying to figure it out.”</p><p>            Lydia held up a hand and glared at Stiles. “Stop. Tell me about being in a pack. Is it safer?”</p><p>            Derek nodded. “For those who deal with the pack or the supernatural a lot, it’s better to be a part of a pack or at the very least attached to one. There’s strength in numbers. There’s a structure and a safety net for when things go wrong. Wolves need a pack. Humans don’t, but being a part of the pack means a connection to the Alpha so the rest of the pack knows when you're in trouble.”</p><p>            “And I’m not human?” Her voice shook a little, but her stare didn’t waver.</p><p>            “Probably not. Also probably not a shifter either. Like I said, I’ve been going through the bestiary for Jackson, but if you wanted I could try to figure out what you are too,” Stiles said, trying to shift her focus. It didn’t work.</p><p>            “Would I be safer if I was a part of your pack?” she asked. Derek straightened at the question. Stiles seemed stunned, fingers glowing bright red. Thankfully nothing started flying around the room so his new tattoo was doing its job.</p><p>            Derek answered very carefully. “Yes. I’d be able to tell when you were in danger. So would Stiles. You wouldn’t feel the pack bonds as much as a werewolf, but you would be able to tell that your pack was okay.” Derek glanced at Stiles, trying to think about how the answer would impact him. “But this isn’t something you should rush into. You don’t even know what you are. And whatever is happening with Peter…” Derek trailed off. “If, once we know what’s happening, you want to join my pack we can talk about it then.”</p><p>            Lydia nodded, accepting the answer and turning to Stiles. “Your fingers are red,” she said with a frown.</p><p>            “What?” Stiles’ whole body jolted and he looked down at his hands. “Huh. I guess that’s better than dropping a couch.” Lydia arched an eyebrow. “Uh, it’s magic. Don’t tell anybody. We’ve got enough problems as it is.”</p><p>            “Fine.” Lydia sniffed. “Tell me about your bestiary, and I’ll see how I can help.” She settled back in the armchair and looked at Stiles expectantly. Stiles only hesitated a moment before he launched into a detailed explanation of what he’d been working on. Derek let them talk, watching them work together like a practiced team.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. A Growing Pack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>What's this? An update? How peculiar. </p><p>I know it's been a while, but the next update will not take nearly as long (since it's almost done) and it's super fluffy and full of plot and hopefully, you will enjoy my taunting of the Stiles. For right now, have some pack feels. </p><p>If you're liking what you're reading, drop a comment and some kudos. Hearing from y'all literally makes my day.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Isaac was sore. No, he was more than sore. This was different. Scott McCall had decided that since Isaac was friends with Stiles, Isaac was a target on the Lacrosse field. Most of the team had joined in since Isaac was an easy target. The Sheriff was waiting for him when practice got out. “You alright kid? You look like hell,” he said. Isaac nodded numbly.</p><p>            “Yeah. Just a hard practice,” Isaac mumbled. He got in the front seat of the Sheriff’s cruiser. The Sheriff frowned at him.</p><p>            “You know, you can talk to me, Isaac. I’m not going to be mad.”</p><p>            “I’m fine.” Isaac flinched a little, reminded too much of how often his father had said that same thing. The Sheriff didn’t seem to believe him, but he didn’t press. He dropped Isaac off at their house and went back to the Station without going in. the second Isaac opened the door, he heard someone growling. He looked up to see Stiles and Derek both looking at him with glowing eyes. The growl was coming from Stiles. Lydia Martin was on the couch beside Stiles looking confused at the werewolves’ reaction. She looked between Stiles and Isaac, before getting up and gathering her things. Stiles barely reacted, but Derek fixed his eyes on her. She looked at the Alpha.</p><p>            “I take it this is Pack business. Let me know if you find anything pertaining to me. I expect to be kept in the loop as much as a non-pack member can be,” Lydia said. She brushed past Isaac without so much as a glance. Isaac watched her leave before turning back to the two fuming werewolves. Stiles had gotten up and was pacing, something Isaac had seen him do when there was too much on his mind. Derek’s eyes faded back to their normal color, but his face was murderous.</p><p>            “Uh, hi,” Isaac offered. Stiles let out a growl and Isaac noticed his hands were glowing a bright red.</p><p>            “What happened?” Derek asked darkly.</p><p>            Stiles didn’t give Isaac the chance to respond. “Scott happened,” he growled. “I should have known the second I wasn’t there, Scott would go after one of you.” Suddenly, Stiles spun to look at Isaac. “Oh, God. Please tell me they left Erica alone.”</p><p>            Isaac nodded. “It was just lacrosse,” he mumbled. That didn’t calm Stiles down.</p><p>            “They targeted you. At practice.” The bright blue of the beta’s eyes was off-putting as he started pacing again. The constant growl coming from Stiles was enough to keep Isaac quiet. After a while, Stiles turned to Derek. The red glow from his hands dissipated and his eyes were once again whiskey-colored. “Ask,” he said. Derek didn’t respond. He kept Stiles glare for a moment, before nodding. Then he got up from where he’d been sitting and signaled for Isaac to follow him. The Alpha led him downstairs, to the other guest room. When they were there, he turned back to look at Isaac.</p><p>            “What, uh, what exactly does he want you to ask?” Isaac said quietly.</p><p>            “Do you want the bite?” Derek answered. Isaac looked over at Derek with wide eyes.</p><p>            “You want me in your pack?” Isaac breathed.</p><p>            Derek nodded. “You don’t have to have the bite to be pack. If you want it, I’ll give it. If it takes, you’ll heal faster. Be stronger. Have better senses. There’s a chance the bite won’t take, but you’re young and healthy and stubborn. You’ve seen how some people react to people like us. You’ve seen how Stiles has been treated. Scott isn’t the end of it. There are hunters. It’s dangerous to be different. Do you understand?” Isaac nodded. “So do you want the bite?”</p><p>            Isaac only hesitated a moment. “Yes.” Derek’s eyes glowed red and his fangs dropped.</p><p>            “This will hurt,” he warned. Then Derek bit him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            When the Sheriff got home early the next morning he found all three boys asleep in the living room. The bruises that had been on Isaac’s face when he’d picked the boy up from practice the day before was gone. None of them woke up when Noah entered the room. Isaac, despite being the tallest of the three, was in the middle, bracketed by Stiles and Derek. Every time he made a noise, Stiles pressed a little closer, hands glowing red. Noah guessed that was better than levitating the furniture while they were trying to sleep. It was a Saturday, so he didn’t see a reason to wake them as he shuffled off to the kitchen, sure that something had changed in the pack. He got himself a cup of coffee and found a plate for him in the refrigerator. Derek joined him in the kitchen as he sat down to eat. “Hale,” the Sheriff said. Derek nodded to him, getting his own cup of coffee before taking a seat at the table.</p><p>            “I wanted to talk to you. About the pack,” Derek said. He wouldn’t meet Noah’s gaze as he talked. Noah nodded.</p><p>            “I figured you would get there eventually.” The tips of the Alpha’s ears turned pink, but the rest of his face gave nothing away. “I’m guessing you bit Isaac at some point, which I can’t say I’m happy about. But at least I know he won’t be coming home with any more bruises. And I can’t say that he didn’t know what he was getting into. Is there anything else that you wanted to talk about?” The Sheriff raised his eyebrows.</p><p>            “You’re Stiles’ father. And Isaac’s legal guardian. They’re both pack. I thought it would be wise to offer you a place in the pack too.” Derek continued to stare at his coffee.</p><p>            “Son, are you offering to turn me?” Noah said. Derek looked up alarmed. “Cause I’ve gotta say I’m not interested in that.”</p><p>            “No. Humans can be pack. Technically, you’re already attached to the pack through Stiles,” Derek mumbled. The poor boy was so clearly uncomfortable and trying to put on a stoic face. “If you chose to join the pack, you would be a pack elder. You’d still have to submit to me, but you’d be one of the main advisors for pack business. My grandparents were pack elders before the fire. The only ones above the elders are Alpha, their mate, and the second.”</p><p>            “And does Stiles know you’re offering this to me?”</p><p>            “He suggested it,” Derek admitted. The Sheriff nodded and took a sip of his coffee.</p><p>            “He would,” Noah sighed. “And if I were to join, what would I need to do, exactly?”</p><p>            “Submit. Normally, werewolves bare their neck to show submission to the Alpha. The Alpha accepts by placing their hand on the neck to show that they will protect them when they’re vulnerable.”</p><p>            The Sheriff nodded. “All right, Son. Let’s do this.” Derek’s eyes flared red as Noah got to his feet. Derek mirrored him. Then the Sheriff tilted his head, baring his neck and letting his eyes fall to the ground. Derek’s hand was warm against his neck and something tugged at his gut. Noah looked back up as the Alpha stepped back. “Good. I’m going to bed.” He shuffled up the stairs leaving Derek to clean up the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Allison was pissed as she made her way out of the Hale House rubbing her wrists. The other hunter, who’s name was Bennet, looked up as she came out. “Congrats,” he said, smirking.</p><p>            “For what? It took me two and a half hours,” she huffed, taking her keys when he offered them.</p><p>            “Took me three when I did it.” She ignored him and got in her car. He had his own, also parked there, so he’d be fine. She glanced back as she pulled away and saw Bennet frowning out into the woods, but she ignored it. She decided that all hunters were some degree of crazy as she drove to where she was meant to meet Scott. However, Allison couldn’t help but wonder if the increase in the number of hunters in town was the start of something big. Something that was going to get them all hurt.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Red</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy November!<br/>I told you I had this ready to go. You get a little fluff. A little plot. A little more Erica. A little more Lydia. And a flustered Stiles. Sorta. This is a slow burn and they are idiots. </p><p>Hope you're enjoying reading this. I know with how spread out the updates usually are it may not seem like it, but I'm loving writing this and I'm loving hearing from y'all. Seriously. Y'all make are fantastic. </p><p>Keep leaving Kudos and Comments and I'll keep writing. <br/>Hopefully, it'll only be about a week before the next chapter.  Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Isaac woke up Saturday morning feeling amazing. There was a buzz under his skin that made him feel so much stronger than he’d ever felt before. It didn’t matter that he’d woken up with Stiles curled around him, though there was an awkward moment where Stiles was still asleep and pressed his nose to Isaac’s neck which had resulted in Isaac letting out a strangled yelp. Then neither of them were asleep anymore and Derek was smirking at them from the doorframe. Stiles groaned as he flopped back to the floor, away from Isaac. “You’re an asshole, Sourwolf,” he complained. Then he grabbed a pillow from the couch and curled around it. Derek rolled his eyes. He snatched the pillow from Stiles’ grip. Stiles grunted as his head hit the floor. He sat up and glared at their Alpha. “Asshole.”</p><p>            “Come on. We’re training today,” Derek said. He looked pointedly at Isaac. “All of us.” Training happened in the abandoned train station where they’d picked up Stiles the night of the full moon. Since Isaac was still healing from being bitten, he was relegated to the stairs while Derek and Stiles sparred. At first, Derek had seemed pleasantly surprised by Stiles’ ability to defend himself. It didn’t matter how Derek tried to come at him, Stiles was able to dodge him long enough to land a hit. None of his hits did much damage to the Alpha, but they did land. When they took a break, Stiles leaned against the stairs.</p><p>            “Where’d you learn to do that?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            Stiles shrugged. “I know how to defend myself some. My dad is the Sheriff.” Amusement radiated down the pack bond from the other beta. Stiles grinned at him. “I may be a clutz but you should see me with a bat.”</p><p>            “A bat won’t help you against a hunter,” Derek said, crossing his arms.</p><p>            Stiles rolled his eyes. “Ease up Sourwolf. I know that.” Derek glared at him. “Wolves’ best weapons are their claws and teeth. We’re made for up-close fighting. A bat makes sense if you’re trying to put distance between you and your attacker. Or your victim. Which makes sense for a human following around werewolves. So maybe Lydia should use one. Or my dad. I’ll stick with learning how to use these.” Stiles brought out his claws. Derek looked unimpressed.</p><p>            “Then use them,” he ordered. “Come at me.” Stiles grinned a little before obeying and officially ending the break. When Stiles was the attacker, it was a lot harder for him to land a hit on Derek, but, by lunchtime, he’d managed to draw some blood from the Alpha. He was also nursing a broken leg, which seemed to be taking its time to heal. Stiles groaned from his place on the floor.</p><p>            “You’ll heal,” Derek declared, rolling his eyes.</p><p>            Stiles glared at him. “Still hurts like a bitch,” he muttered, but he was smirking as he spoke. Isaac didn’t really understand why, but he could feel Stiles’ smugness through the pack bonds. Then Stiles was lunging at Derek, pinning him to the ground with his claws at the Alpha’s neck. Derek had the position reversed instantly, but he almost looked proud.</p><p>            “If you’re going to pin someone down, make sure you have the strength to keep them down,” Derek said. Then he let Stiles go, helping the beta to his feet. “But it was a good move.” Stiles grinned broadly practically preening.</p><p>            “Ha! It only took me all day,” he said. “Now come on, Sourwolf, I’m hungry.”</p><p>            “If you don’t stop calling me Sourwolf, I’ll come up with a nickname you’ll hate just as much,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “Do you worst, Sourwolf.” Stiles wiggled his eyebrows. Derek bared his teeth and Isaac let out a laugh when Stiles didn’t react. Stiles turned away from the Alpha to collect his red hoodie, which he’d discarded at the start of training. “I’ll meet you at home. I think we have enough for some fajitas.”</p><p>            Derek paused for a moment, eyes fixing on Stiles’ hoodie. Then he grinned, looking absolutely wolfish. “See you there, Little Red.” Stiles’ eyes flashed and spun to face Derek so quickly he nearly lost his balance. Derek, however, was already halfway up the stairs, before Stiles was done floundering. Isaac nearly fell over laughing at the look on Stiles’ face. The other teen glared at him, crossing his arms with glowing hands. </p><p>            “If you don’t stop laughing you can make your own fajitas,” Stiles grumbled, stomping up the stairs to his jeep. Isaac followed him, still smiling. Stiles ended up not withholding food, despite declaring Isaac a traitor as he served him. Derek smirked every time Stiles sent a glare his way.</p><p>            “Why don’t you like Little Red?” Isaac asked once they were all seated and munching on their food.</p><p>            “For one thing, I’m not a little girl. For another, I'm a werewolf. Red Riding Hood can’t be a werewolf,” Stiles said.</p><p>            “She is in Once Upon a Time.”</p><p>            “She is also a she. A completely badass woman. Which I am not.” Stiles waved his fork at Isaac.</p><p>            “You do have red magic.” Isaac shrugged, getting far too much amusement from his packmate’s irritation.</p><p>            “I’m not Little Red!”</p><p>            “Whatever you say, Red,” Derek said, smirking. Stiles let out a groan and banged his head on the table.</p><p>            “Fuck you, Sourwolf.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            There was another body found on Sunday morning by some hikers. Stiles’ dad had confirmed that it was the same thing that killed Isaac’s dad. Derek had gotten a look at the file and frowned at it before telling them the victim had been a hunter. Stiles spent most of Sunday going through the bestiary file by file. Coming up with nothing. Derek had stalked Jackson, watching to see if there was any hint of what he was. He was gone for the whole day, but he returned in a worse mood with nothing new to report. Which brought them to Monday, and Isaac’s first day at school as a werewolf. Stiles figured that the biggest problem would be during lacrosse practice with Scott. He was wrong. Erica and Lydia were chatting calmly in front of his locker as Isaac and Stiles approached. Erica saw him first, cutting off mid-sentence. “Heya Batman,” she grinned.</p><p>            Stiles arched an eyebrow. “Batman?” he frowned.</p><p>            “Robin here didn’t tell you?” Erica gestured to Isaac who looked like he wanted to wrap his scarf around his head and move to a different continent.</p><p>            “Please don’t call me that,” he grumbled. Erica laughed.</p><p>            “Someone else died,” Lydia said, ignoring the rest of the conversation and fixing her eyes on Stiles. Erica was the only one shocked by this statement and she looked at Lydia in confusion. “Was it the same person?”</p><p>            “Dad thinks so,” Stiles said with a nod.</p><p>            “What can I do?”</p><p>            “Leave it.”</p><p>            “You’re still researching. I could help. It goes faster with two pairs of eyes.” Lydia was an expert at keeping her mask in place, but her scent gave away her fear. She tugged on the long chain around her neck, and Stiles sighed. She knew it was Jackson, even though Stiles and Derek had been careful not to avoid drawing the connection for her. </p><p>            “Yeah. I’ll be researching after practice tonight. You can help.”</p><p>            “What are you researching?” Erica asked, frowning.</p><p>            “The increased murder rate in Beacon Hills. Trying to see if there’s a pattern in other parts of the country that could explain it,” Lydia said. She flicked her hair and stalked off.</p><p>            “She’s serious?” Erica raised her eyebrows. Stiles shrugged.</p><p>            “They’re weird,” Isaac volunteered. Thankfully the bell rang, and they went off to their classes. It was a normal day for a while. Then came gym class. Stiles had gym with Erica, Scott, Lydia, and Allison. He tried to stay close to Erica while they lined up to do the rock wall in pairs. One boy and one girl. Lydia was paired up with Greenburg and beat him with the air of someone who was used to winning. Scott and Allison were paired up and Allison won. Scott fell, which Stiles found absolutely funny. Even when Scott glared at him and Allison frowned at him. He and Erica were paired up next. Stiles didn’t have any problems climbing the wall, but he noticed that Erica got stuck, just a quarter of the way up, having a panic attack. Stiles and Lydia worked together to help her calm down enough to come down the wall, but the damage was done. Most of the class was whispering about her when the next pair was sent up. Stiles frowned, but Erica had gone to the locker room before he could talk to her.</p><p>            “She’ll be fine,” Lydia said. Then her eyes fixed on a spot in the corner of the gym and seemed to unfocus. She snapped out of it a moment later, shooting a glare at Stiles before rejoining Allison.</p><p> </p><p>            Erica wasn’t at lunch, which Stiles found odd. Isaac insisted that she was probably in the library. Boyd, who’s table they were sitting at, glared at them, reeking of doubt. Silently Stiles agreed. Isaac hadn’t seen her during gym. “She’s not an invalid, Stiles,” Isaac whined, leaning against the other werewolf. Stiles wasn’t sure if he even knew what he was doing. Stiles shrugged him off, feeling suddenly shaky. “Stiles?” Isaac frowned. Stiles held out his hand, which was shaking. It was a scent causing it. Stiles bolted from the cafeteria following it. He ignored Isaac yelling after him as he slammed into the gym. He had a brief moment to see Erica clinging to the rock wall before her eyes rolled back in her head and she was falling. Stiles caught her before she hit the ground.</p><p>            “Put her on her side,” Allison ordered. Stiles obeyed, letting Erica grip his hand as she seized. He finally glanced back at the others in the room and was unsurprised to see Scott, Isaac, Allison, and Lydia had followed him from the cafeteria. He was a little surprised to see Boyd lurking behind them. Allison dialed 911, and not long after, the paramedics showed up. By that point, Erica had nearly stopped seizing. She still wouldn’t let go of his hand.</p><p>            “How did you know?” Isaac whispered under the noise of the paramedics talking with Allison.</p><p>            “I could smell it,” Stiles muttered quiet enough that only other wolves could hear him. Erica insisted that Stiles ride with her to the hospital, which Stiles readily agreed to. He kept up a steady stream of chatter for her about a book they were supposed to be reading for English. At the hospital was the first time they were left alone.</p><p>            “Thank you,” Erica said quietly, cutting off Stiles’ steady stream of words.</p><p>            “I’m just glad I could get to you before you fell. What were you doing up there anyway?” Stiles asked. Erica looked away from him.</p><p>            “I wanted to prove I could do it,” she muttered. “After gym, I was embarrassed, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t weak, and I could make it to the top of the wall.”</p><p>            “You don’t have to climb a stupid wall to be strong, Erica. You’re so badass and you don’t even know it.”</p><p>            “Yeah right.” She rolled her eyes.</p><p>            “I’m serious. You have no idea how awesome you really are. You’re like the Catwoman to my Batman.” Stiles grinned. Erica smiled back weakly. “If you’re feeling up to it, you may want to come hang out at my house tonight or tomorrow and I can prove you’re badass.”</p><p>            “You want me to come over?” Erica asked with wide eyes.</p><p>            Stiles nodded. “Of course. Besides, it’s about time you knew who you were eating lunch with.” Nurse McCall knocked on the door and ended up sending Stiles home, but Stiles wasn’t too concerned anymore. Now he just needed to get Derek to help her. Then Erica wouldn’t have to worry about seizures anymore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. What's Happening in Gotham</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello and Happy Thursday!<br/>It's been a while since I've updated y'all, but I promise I've been working on this fic. I've got lots of really fun scenes coming up, including more Allison, more Scott being stupid, and the notorious pool scene. I've just gotta get through one more chapter of pack building after this. </p><p>Let me know what you think and check out some of my other fics in the meantime. I'm trying to get better about regular updates. </p><p>Y'all have been incredible in the response to this so far! Your comments have kept me writing this &lt;3 &lt;3&lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Lydia sat in her car, hesitating outside of Stiles’ house, gripping the key around her neck tightly. Someone sighed in the back seat. She looked up at the rearview mirror and saw Peter Hale relaxing in her car. When she spun around in her seat though, he was gone. “Really Lydia, you are so much smarter than that,” he sighed from the passenger seat. Lydia jumped.</p><p>            “I know what you are,” Lydia managed. Peter nodded.</p><p>            “Of course you do.” Then he grinned. “And I know what you are.”</p><p>            “What do you mean?”</p><p>            “You should have Stiles look up the wailing woman.” Peter quirked an eyebrow. Then he was gone. Lydia looked all around the car, but he didn’t reappear. She gathered her bag and walked to the door which opened before she could knock. Derek Hale was standing there, frowning at her.</p><p>            “What are you doing here?” he asked.</p><p>            “I’m helping Stiles with research,” she said primly as she pushed past the confused Alpha werewolf.</p><p>            “He’s not here,” Derek grumbled.</p><p>            “No he’s at the hospital with Erica, but he will be here as soon as Isaac picks him up.” Lydia took a seat in the living where they had been working the day before. She reached for Stiles notebook but stopped at the glare that Derek leveled at her.</p><p>            “Why’s Erica at the hospital.”</p><p>            “She had a seizure. I know becoming a werewolf didn’t do anything for Stiles’ ADHD, but would it help her?” Lydia asked. Derek nodded as he took a seat in one of the armchairs. “Will you offer it to her?”</p><p>            “If my pack approves.” The Alpha nodded again.</p><p>            “They will,” she declared. She pulled out her phone and started texting Allison to pass the time. She knew when Stiles and Isaac arrived because Derek was on his feet and opening the door like he had for her. The two younger werewolves bounded into the room. Isaac hesitated when he saw her, but Stiles plopped down on the couch beside her. </p><p>            “You know you don’t have to do this, right?” Stiles said as he gathered his notebook, the index, and the old laptop off the coffee table. </p><p>            “I want to help. If Jackson’s killing people, I want to help stop him,” Lydia declared.</p><p>            “How do you know it’s Jackson killing people?” Derek growled. Lydia arched her eyebrows at him.</p><p>            “She’s smart, Sourwolf. She’s got better grades than I do,” Stiles said, booting up the laptop. Isaac moved past them and settled on the floor, pulling out homework. </p><p>            “Did you tell her, Red?” Derek replied bitterly. Stiles glared at his Alpha, eyes flaring blue. Lydia looked between the two.</p><p>            “I figured it out for myself,” she said, rolling her eyes. All men were idiots. Even the smart ones. “Also, your Uncle is haunting me.” That got the wolves to break their staring contest. “He was in my car. He suggested looking up the wailing woman.” </p><p>            “The wailing woman? That’s another name for a banshee,” Stiles frowned. “Did he say anything else?”</p><p>            “He was taunting me. He said he knew what I was. Then he said to look up the wailing woman,” Lydia snapped.</p><p>            “Peter thinks you’re a banshee?” Stiles tilted his head and turned to Derek. “You said there was a banshee in the old Hale Pack.” </p><p>            Derek nodded. It was quiet for a while, and Lydia went to open her mouth but stopped when Stiles rested a hand on her wrist. She looked over at him to find him still looking at Derek. Finally, Derek spoke. “A banshee would make sense. I don’t know for sure, but Mom would take the banshee with her when she was meeting with other packs since banshees are immune to most things in the supernatural world. Sometimes there were predictions too.”</p><p>            “So that explains why Lydia didn’t turn when Peter bit her. It doesn’t really explain why she’s seeing Peter, but it’s more than we had before. We can look into that once we figure out what part of the bestiary has the entry on banshees.” Stiles let go of Lydia and turned his attention back to getting the laptop booted up. “For right now we have to figure out what the hell Jackson is and how we stop him from killing people. Oh, and Sourwolf, we needed to talk about Erica later. She’ll be coming by once she’s out of the hospital which maybe today or tomorrow.”</p><p>            “She wants to know what's going on in Gotham,” Isaac grumbled. </p><p>            “Gotham,” Derek said blankly.</p><p>            “She keeps calling me and Isaac Batman and Robin.” Stiles rolled his eyes. </p><p>            “Fitting,” Lydia sniffed. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            The next day at school, Isaac was waiting for Stiles at their table when Scott took a seat across from him. Boyd looked over from the end of the table curiously. Isaac held down a growl. “What do you want, Scott?” he asked. </p><p>            “Two’s not enough for Derek. I know he needs at least three. So who’s next?” Scott demanded. </p><p>            “You only know that because Stiles told you that.”</p><p>            “And you’re only in because Stiles pitied you. Who’s next?”</p><p>            “Who says we need anyone else?” Isaac forced himself to smirk. “We’ve already got the Sheriff.” Allison looked up from where she was sitting beside Lydia and stared at Scott.</p><p>            “I know Stiles is picking them. Is Erica next?”</p><p>            “Why’s it matter? You want to blame her for the next murder?” Isaac snarled.</p><p>            “You need to leave, McCall,” Boyd said glaring from his corner. Scott returned the glare. “This isn’t your table.”</p><p>            “This isn’t over,” Scott declared. He shoved his chair away from the table and stormed off. Allison mirrored him. Boyd rolled his eyes and nodded to Isaac before returning to his meal. Stiles took Scott’s place a few minutes later. </p><p>            “What was Scott doing here?” Stiles asked, scrunching up his nose. Boyd glanced up, but didn’t comment.</p><p>            “He was asking about Erica joining our study group,” Isaac said. Stiles nodded. “Have you heard from her?”</p><p>            “Yeah. They’re letting her out tonight. Dad says he wants to be there when she’s told so we’re having dinner together. I’m supposed to go shopping after practice, so if you have any dinner requests, let me know. Fair warning, anything high in salt or cholesterol will be vetoed in favor of my dad’s health.” Stiles grinned. “I promise I know healthy versions of most things and they will taste good.”</p><p>            “You cook?” Boyd asked, one eyebrow raised. </p><p>            Stiles nodded eagerly. “Oh yeah. I’m a boss in the kitchen. Dude, I could bring you some leftovers tomorrow. I guarantee you’ll love it.” </p><p>            “If it’s bad, I’ll make sure he drops it on the way into school,” Isaac offered. The corner of the other teen’s mouth twitched up. Stiles flailed dramatically as he jumped to the defense of his cooking. Isaac watched him carefully when he caught a slight red glow coming from his fingertips, but nothing went flying and the glow was hardly noticeable.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Threes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I bring you a humble offering of a short chapter. If you saw read the Stilinski Pack and saw the end note, I've had a rough go of things recently. Most of my household has tested positive for Covid, and even though I haven't, I've had to isolate myself away from them, which is exactly why I was living with them in the first place since the first isolation caused a bit of a breakdown.<br/>So my writing has sorta been put on hold. But I had this almost ready to go, so I edited it up to give you something. I'm writing some, but I can't make any promises about updates or anything of that nature for the foreseeable future. </p><p>So anyway, hope you like what little I've got for y'all. Leave some comments and kudos if you do, and I will keep writing so long as I can. </p><p> </p><p>And, if you're so swayed, send some prayers or good vibes my way. I know mine is not the only family struggling, but we could use it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Erica’s mom dropped her off for dinner an hour early. Erica eyed the three vehicles outside the house cautiously. She recognized Stiles’ jeep and his dad’s cruiser, but the third car had her worried. She knew it wasn’t Isaac’s. The black Camaro was far too expensive for the Laheys or the Stilinskis. Stiles opened the door before she could even knock grinning broadly. “Hey Catwoman, you’re early. I was just about to start making dinner.” Stiles gestured for her to follow him into the kitchen. The Sheriff was seated at the table and gave her a polite nod as she took a seat across from him. He stayed silent while Stiles launched into a detailed monologue on the diversity of cultures who had some kind of traditional meatballs, which had nothing to do with their dinner that looked like some kind of Thai food. Isaac appeared after a few minutes, giving her a smile and rolling his eyes as Stiles continued to ramble. He kept going until the food was almost ready. Then, in the middle of a sentence, he cut himself off, glancing the hallway. Isaac was staring too, but the Sheriff seemed just as confused as Erica. Then Stiles rolled his eyes. “Dad,” Stiles said, “make sure this doesn’t burn. The Sourwolf is being difficult.” Stiles gestured to the stovetop. The Sheriff nodded as both Isaac and Stiles left the room.</p><p>            “So, uh, Sheriff, do you know what’s going on?” Erica asked after a few seconds of silence.</p><p>            “Yeah, kid, but it’ll be better if you wait for Stiles or Derek to explain,” Noah sighed.</p><p>            “Derek?” Erica frowned.</p><p>            “The Sourwolf,” Noah said, smirking. Somewhere else in the house someone let out a cackling laugh. Then there were several thumps and thuds. A second later, Isaac returned to the kitchen grinning. “Everything okay?” Noah cocked an eyebrow.</p><p>            “Yeah, Derek just wanted to check with us before we did this,” Isaac shrugged.</p><p>            “I meant with the house,” the Sheriff deadpanned.</p><p>            “Nothing’s broken. Well, nothing that won’t heal.” Isaac was still grinning. Noah rolled his eyes.</p><p>            “Food’s ready,” he said, not raising his voice. Isaac tilted his head. Then he nodded to the Sheriff and pulled out plates, setting the table.</p><p>            “What did you mean?” Erica asked as Isaac put a plate in front of her.</p><p>            Isaac hesitated. “Derek and Stiles will explain.” A moment later, Stiles returned with someone else right behind him. The man was just a little taller than Stiles with black hair and an attractive amount of stubble. He was frowning a bit and his hazel eyes were fixed on Stiles as he entered. He glanced over at Erica and nodded before returning his attention to the younger Stilinski. Stiles was as animated as ever as he took over from his father and checked the food before carrying it all over to the table. It was some kind of curry that smelled delicious. Stiles was explaining it, but Erica’s attention was still on the older man, who must have been Derek. As he took a seat, he trailed a hand across Isaac’s shoulders and purposefully brushed the other hand down the Sheriff’s arm. Once the food was all on the table, Stiles took a seat between Derek and Erica. As he sat down, Derek reached for his wrist. Stiles let the older man contain his right arm while gesturing broadly with his left.</p><p>            “Eat up, Catwoman,” Stiles grinned. Instantly Isaac was piling food on his plate. The sheriff followed suit but slowed when Stiles glared at him.</p><p>            “You made this,” the Sheriff pointed out.</p><p>            “Yes, and you will enjoy the vegetables as well as the chicken,” Stiles said, shoving the bowl full of steaming veggies at his father. Noah rolled his eyes but added the vegetables to his plate. Isaac, who was on Erica’s other side, elbowed her.</p><p>            “Eat. He’s a pretty good cook,” Isaac said. “Plus, we eat a lot so if you want some, get it now. There won’t be leftovers.” Erica looked at the surplus of food covering the table doubtfully but started making her plate. Stiles made sure everyone else had food before he took some for himself. Erica noticed that Isaac, Stiles, and Derek had large portions of everything and frowned.</p><p>            “We’ll explain,” Derek said. He looked expectantly at Stiles. The teen let out a groan, but put down his fork.</p><p>            “By we you mean me, don’t you?” Stiles said. Derek didn’t respond, but Stiles rolled his eyes and let out another groan. “Fine, Sourwolf.”</p><p>            “Explain, Red,” Derek ordered.</p><p>            “Red?” Erica asked.</p><p>            “Like little Red Riding Hood,” Isaac said, smirking.</p><p>            Stiles rolled his eyes. “He thinks it’s funny since my favorite hoodie is red and my magic is red. It’s payback for calling him Sourwolf.”</p><p>            “Magic?” Erica raised an eyebrow.</p><p>            Stiles nodded absently. “That’s not really what you need to worry about. Let me start at the beginning. We aren’t human.” Stiles gestured to himself, Derek, and Isaac. “We’re werewolves. Like fangs, claws, the whole nine yards. Isaac and I are Betas and Derek’s our Alpha. It’s kinda hard to explain, but it boils down to he’s our leader. He keeps us safe.”</p><p>            “Werewolves?” Erica snorted. “Seriously, Batman?” Stiles glanced at Derek, who nodded slightly. Then something changed. Stiles’ eyes glowed an electric blue and his face changed. His bow was more pronounced, and fangs protruded from his mouth. His hair looked wildered and had formed mutton chops down his cheeks. Erica looked from Stiles to Isaac. But Isaac’s face had shifted too. He looked nearly the same as Stiles, but his eyes were gold and his eyebrows were gone. Derek’s eyes glowed red, but his face remained the same. Erica turned to the Sheriff who just sighed.</p><p>            “Werewolves,” the Sheriff confirmed. Erica looked frantically around the table as the two other teens shifted back to normal.</p><p>            “Let me walk you through it,” Stiles said gently, eyes still blue.</p><p>            “Will it help?” Erica said, thinking quickly. “Being a werewolf. Would it help my seizures?”</p><p>            “Yes, but it’s not that simple.”</p><p>            “I don’t care.”</p><p>            “Erica, listen first,” the Sheriff said. “Then if you still want it, Derek will decide. But know what it means first.” Erica glared at him, then at Derek. But Derek just nodded his head towards Stiles.</p><p>            “Fine. Talk Batman,” Erica said.</p><p>            Stiles grinned. “All right so…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            The Sheriff looked in the living room where the boys had surround Erica after dinner. Stiles was staring at him though. He extracted himself from the pile of wolves and frowned at his father. “What’s happening?” he asked quietly. Only Derek looked over from the living room.</p><p>            “Another body. A mechanic. No claw marks this time, but I think it’s the same thing that killed the other two. You four gonna be okay without me? I know you said pack is important for new werewolves,” the Sheriff said.</p><p>            “Yeah Dad, we’ll be fine. It’d be better if you didn’t leave, but it won’t hurt her too much,” Stiles said, wrapping his arms around himself.</p><p>            “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I called Mrs. Reyes and told her Erica was spending the night. Take care kid.”</p><p>            “Be safe Dad. Love you.”</p><p>            “Love you too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Awakenings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello Again!</p><p>It's been a while, so let me start by saying thank you to everyone who prayed or sent good vibes my way. My family has recovered with no lasting effects or hospitalizations. Y'alls comments were so wonderful and I'm so very thankful for them. </p><p>Now, I am finally back where I think I'll be able to post with some regularity again and I've got some really cool scenes in store for y'all, including the infamous pool scene and some progress on our lovely slow burn. </p><p>If y'all like my writing, I will be starting to post another multichapter Sterek fic sometime this week. Just so you know ;)</p><p>Please continue to leave comments or kudus if you're enjoying this. Y'all have no idea how much it helps me to keep writing. </p><p>Thank you again for all of your support and patience with this fic.<br/>I love y'all &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p><p> </p><p>Content warning: Diabetes/hypoglycemia, Skip the section talking about Allison; details in endnotes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>           The next morning was bittersweet. Stiles tried to keep the mood light, but Derek had obviously heard the Sheriff talking about the most recent murder. Erica and Isaac were both picking up on the tension of their Alpha without really understanding what it was which led to a rocky breakfast as the teens got ready for school. Derek had disappeared before Stiles was done making breakfast, leaving Stiles alone trying to keep the two newer wolves under control. More than once he had to intercede when Isaac flashed his eyes or Erica started growling. Eventually, he was fed up. “Enough!” he growled. He let his eyes flare blue and could feel his magic buzzing through him making his hands glow red. “Do you even know why you’re both irritated right now? Or do you think you both just happened to wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Seriously. Think about it.” Both of the other betas were quiet and staring at Stiles. Stiles sighed and let his eyes fade, hoping that his magic would dissipate too. “Isaac, you remember how it felt the morning after you were bitten? That buzzing energy?”</p><p>           Isaac frowned at him. “How’d you know that?”</p><p>           “Pack isn’t just something we say we are or a group of werewolves hanging out together. Pack isn’t like family. Pack is deeper than that. The pack bonds don’t just let us know if our pack members are safe or hurt. We can feel the rest of the pack through them. That means we can feel it when a packmate is celebrating or when a packmate is sad. Betas can feel their Alpha’s mood through the bonds too. That means when Derek is having a bad day, we all feel it,” Stiles explained. “Right now, it’s worse because we’re all new to this and we’re still learning how to separate our own feelings from those we can feel through the bonds.” Both Erica and Isaac were looking at him strangely. “You’re both irritated because Derek is irritated. Though I think he’s really more guilty than irritated and he just expresses everything he feels through anger.”</p><p>           “What?” Erica asked.</p><p>           “Why do you think he’s feeling guilty?” Isaac asked.</p><p>           “Because he’s a stupid Sourwolf,” Stiles sighed, turning back to the food he’d been cooking, glad that nothing was burning. “Derek bit Jackson, who we know is the creature killing people, even though we don’t know why. Which means that Derek’s probably blaming himself for the deaths, even though he’s really got nothing to do with that since there is no way anyone could’ve guessed Jackson would turn into whatever the hell he is instead of a werewolf like the rest of us.”</p><p>           “How are you not affected by it then?” Erica snapped. “You said that we can all feel his bad mood.” Stiles hesitated, not sure how to explain. It wasn’t like he didn’t feel it. He knew that Derek was angry. He could definitely feel that vibrating fiercely through the bond, but he also knew it wasn’t his own emotion. It was strange, but he’d never even considered that it was his own emotion. He’d just known.</p><p>           “I am, just not as much. You are both newer than me. Plus, Derek isn’t the one who bit me,” Stiles said.</p><p>           “But you said he’s your Alpha,” Isaac said.</p><p>           Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yeah, he is. Bitten wolves don’t always join the pack of the Alpha who bites them. Besides that, the Alpha who bit me is dead. Or, well, mostly dead.” Stiles frowned. “Doesn’t matter. Just because one Alpha bites you doesn’t mean you can’t choose a different one.” Stiles turned around and put two plates on the table. “Eat.” The rest of breakfast was quiet save for a few comments about homework. Stiles drove them to school, with the food he’d set aside from last night’s dinner for Boyd packed away to be delivered at lunch. </p><p> </p><p>            Lydia woke up slowly, feeling very out of it and not wanting to go to school. “Lydia,” her mom called. “Lydia, come on get up. You’ll be late for school.” Lydia groaned as her mother pulled back her covers. Then her mother gasped and was grabbing at her hands. “Lydia, what did you do? What happened?” Lydia looked down at her hands and found them covered in blood. She looked up and around the room feeling her eyes get wide when she found the broken mirror on her vanity. “Oh my God.” Her mother kept fussing over her hands, but Lydia was fixated on the frowning man standing beside the vanity. </p><p>            “I am sorry,” Peter said. “Believe me when I say I had no intention of letting you hurt yourself, but I can’t affect the physical world at the moment.”</p><p>            “Lydia, sweetheart, look at me,” her mother ordered.</p><p>            “I’m fine mom,” Lydia snapped, still watching Peter.</p><p>            “Banshee awakenings tend to have unfortunate consequences for the banshee. You’ve been helpful, so far. I promise to make this as painless as possible.” Peter’s eyes flashed bright blue like Stiles’ eyes could. Then the man was gone.</p><p>            “Lydia, you hurt yourself. You have to talk to someone about this,” her mother insisted. Lydia glared at her mother but didn’t respond.</p><p> </p><p>           Stiles isn’t really sure how he got paired up with Allison in Chemistry, but he thinks it’s because Harris hates him. He doesn’t really know where he stands with Allison. It’s clear that Scott still hates him, but ever since Mr. LaHey died, Allison has been behaving strangely. Acting almost concerned about the pack. Isaac is on the other side of the room paired up with Lydia, who’s wearing a pair of leather gloves and smells like blood, and Erica has the misfortune of being paired up with Greenburg. Stiles and Allison were working in near silence when he noticed it. Allison was shivering. Now, ever since he became a werewolf, Stiles hadn’t really gotten cold, but he’d gotten good at being able to tell when it may be cold for normal people. (Mostly by looking at a nearby human.) It wasn’t cold in the Chemistry classroom. Stiles tilted his head and tuned his senses to Allison. He could smell something was off in her scent, but he couldn’t place it. He’d never scented it before. Her heart was racing, and Stiles could see her hands shaking as she measured out the ingredients. When she almost dropped a beaker, Stiles quickly grabbed it and set it down. “Are you okay?” Stiles asked.</p><p>           Allison looked at him, seeming almost confused. The scent around her got worse. “I-I’m fine,” she managed. She went to start the next step, but Stiles grabbed her hand when he saw it shaking again.</p><p>           “No, you aren’t.” Stiles searched his mind for things that could cause shaking and confusion. It wasn’t a panic attack, but it could be a symptom of iron deficiency. Expect that wouldn’t have such a sudden onset. Diabetics could have attacks of low or high blood sugar that presented similarly. Stiles knew that high blood sugar had a sweet scent on the breath, so this had to be low blood sugar. “Allison, are you diabetic?” Allison blinked a few times, looking at Stiles in confusion before she shook her head. “Yeah, I think you may want to get that checked out.” Stiles dug in his bag until he pulled out a pack of Reese’s. “Eat this.” Allison opened her mouth to argue, but Stiles cut her off. “Eat it.” He forced it into her still shaking hand. Across the room, paired with Danny, Scott glared at him. </p><p>           “Mr. Stinlinski,” Mr. Harris sighed from the front of the room when he heard the wrapper open. “I’m sure you know better than to be eating in a lab.”</p><p>           “She’s having a hypoglycemic attack. Either she eats or she faints,” Stiles snapped. He grabbed both of their bags and pulled Allison to her feet. She was still shaking and he knew that one Reese’s wouldn’t fix the problem. “I’m taking her to the nurse. You can try and stop me if you want to be blamed for it.” Harris didn’t try to stop Stiles as he helped Allison to the nurse. Scott let out a growl as they passed but, thankfully, he didn’t try to follow them. Allison didn’t talk but gripped his hand as tightly as she could when he tried to leave her in the nurse’s office. The nurse just glared at him while she checked Allison’s sugar, which was still low, far too used to Stiles helping Scott through asthma attacks over the years. Allison was given a soda and the Nurse left to call her parents.</p><p>           “How could you tell?” Allison asked quietly as she drank her soda.</p><p>           Stiles shrugged. “A lot of things. Mostly your scent and the shaking.” </p><p>           “Is that how you knew what was happening with Erica the other day?” Allison was still gripping his hand. Stiles nodded. “Do you think this’ll happen again?”</p><p>           “Maybe. It could be a one-time thing, but I’ll tell you the same thing the nurse will tell you. You should get it checked out. Next time, you could pass out. Or worse. If you are diabetic, you need to get it diagnosed.”</p><p>           “Thanks for helping even though I was an awful friend.” She squeezed his hand. Her scent was improving, but she was still shaking. It would take some time for the sugar to get into her system. “I was wrong.”</p><p>           “That’s what you told Lydia. And Isaac,” Stiles sighed.</p><p>           “I mean it, Stiles. I don’t know why you have blue eyes, but I was wrong to judge you just for that. You didn’t become a different person just because you got bit. Neither did Scott. And I knew that, but I still threatened you and your pack. Multiple times. So did Scott. I know it’s not enough, but I am sorry. I know I was wrong.” Allison had a fierce look in her eyes. “I know you’re not the thing killing people. I know it’s not a wolf, and I want to help you figure out what it is.”</p><p>           Stiles thought for a moment. He wanted to trust her, but he knew that she had always gone for Scott or her family in the past. He couldn’t trust that she would really help his pack. But he knew a test that might work. Derek was going to hate this. “We’re trying to, but we need more information. Derek’s mentioned a bestiary that the Hale Pack had before the fire. I bet your family has one too.”</p><p>           Allison snorted a little. “I think you mean bestiality.”</p><p>           “What? No, no I do not. I mean bestiary. A book that has a bunch of supernatural creatures and information on how to deal with them. What is wrong with you?” Stiles scrunched his face up. “We can’t find the Hale Pack’s, since it was probably lost in the fire, but if you can find your family’s, we may be able to figure out what’s killing people.”</p><p>           “Well, what’s it look like?”</p><p>           “Unfortunately it could be anything. It may be an old leather-bound book. Or it may be a computer file. Whatever it looks like, it’s important. Like, fall-into-the-wrong-hands-end-of-the-world important. Expect, you know, it’s already in the wrong hands.”</p><p>           “So Gerard would probably keep it close. Like in a safe. He’s got one in his office.” Allison perked up. “There aren’t any cameras in his office, but we’d need his keys.”</p><p>           “Yeah, and we’d need to get him out of the office,” Stiles sighed. Allison thought for a moment.</p><p>           “The game tomorrow,” she said suddenly.</p><p>           “What about it?”</p><p>           “I can get his keys and you can check his office for the bestiary.”</p><p>           “That actually might work. I don’t play so nobody will even notice I’m gone.” Stiles grinned.</p><p>           “They’re reading all my texts, so message Lydia if you find it. I’ll think of some way to cover with her. I’ll pass you the keys during the third quarter.” Allison grinned back. “Nobody else has to die.” </p><p>           “One can only hope,” Stiles groaned. “I need to get out of here before the nurse comes back or she will definitely tell your parents that I was here. Remember, get the whole low blood sugar thing checked. We do not need you passing out.” Stiles gave her hand one last squeeze before grabbing his bag and going to the library to wait for the bell. Maybe Allison would prove to be a good ally.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>CW: Allison has a hypoglycemic attack that Stiles catches. He gives her Reeses and takes her to the nurse. They make a plan to get the Argent Bestiary.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Can't We Try to Get Along?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Scott confronts Derek and Stiles lays out the plan to get the Argent Bestiary</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello!</p><p>I'm so glad y'all are still enjoying this. I'm really enjoying writing it right now and hopefully, that means the next update will be a little quicker than this one was. </p><p> </p><p>Please let me know what you think so far.<br/>Hearing from y'all is the high light of my days.</p><p>Drop some kudus and comments if you like what you read.</p><p> </p><p>CW: Mentions of Blood</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Derek was only at his house to pick up the last of the things he had stowed there to move them to the Stilinski house. He really should have expected that Scott would confront him at some point. He just didn’t think the beta would be so reckless with so many hunters in town. “Derek!” Scott yelled as Derek emerged from his house. Derek glared down at him. “This has to stop!” Derek dropped his bag and crossed his arms. Then he raised his eyebrows. “You can't just go around turning people into werewolves!” Scott screamed.</p><p>            “I can if they’re willing,” Derek countered calmly. </p><p>            “They don’t understand! Did you tell them about the hunters?”</p><p>            “Yes, and they still agreed.” Derek tilted his head, pausing for a moment. “Why do you care, Scott?” Scott let out a growl. “You never wanted to be involved in this. So why do you go back to your little hunter girlfriend and leave me and my pack alone.” </p><p>            “I won’t let you keep doing this,” Scott hissed. He shifted and bared his teeth at Derek. Derek narrowed his eyes.</p><p>            “And what are you going to do to stop me.” Derek jumped off the porch, stalking closer to the teen. “You’re an omega, Scott. Do you really think you can do anything to me?” Scott let out a growl and lunged at Derek. Derek sidestepped him and grabbed the other’s shoulder. He used the momentum to force Scott face down on the ground. Derek pressed his knee between Scott’s shoulders, leveraging his grip further down Scott’s arm to create the most tension without breaking it. “The only reasons you’re still allowed in my territory is because my uncle bit you against your will and my packmate would be distressed if you died. Keep that in mind the next time you decide to try and play the hero.” Derek released Scott and got to his feet. The beta was still shifted as he pushed himself up. Derek ignored him and retrieved his bag. </p><p>            “I’ll tell Argent!” Scott managed. “I’ll tell him that you’re biting people and that your pack is killing people.” </p><p>            Derek spun around and dragged the boy up, letting his eyes bleed red. “Leave my pack alone,” he snarled. “You won’t survive if you threaten any member of my pack again. You or your hunter girlfriend.” Derek shoved him back to the ground. “That includes Stiles.”</p><p>            “Stiles is a killer,” Scott breathed.</p><p>            Derek bared his teeth. “That doesn’t make him a murderer.” Derek forced himself to walk back to his car and leave Scott staring after him. He got three steps away before Scott was lunging at him again. This time, Derek let his claws out and ripped them through Scott’s stomach. Scott fell again, pressing his hand to his wound. It wasn’t deep enough to really hurt the beta, but it would take a while to heal. Derek didn’t particularly care. As he climbed into his car, he realized he’d have to shower before he saw Stiles again if he wanted to keep this confrontation quiet, which he did. He checked the time and hoped that Stiles would be too busy researching when he got back to the house to notice him. He didn’t bother to wonder why he was only worried about Stiles finding out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Lydia had met Stiles and Isaac at their house after practice again, having driven Erica over with her. Stiles noticed she was still wearing the leather gloves she’d been wearing at school. Erica and Isaac both joined Stiles on the couch as he pulled out the old laptop and his notebook to keep working on the bestiary. Lydia didn’t let him open the laptop before she jerked it out of his hands. “What?” Stiles said, looking over at her.</p><p>            Lydia didn’t answer for a while, silently gripping the laptop to her chest. “I need help,” she said finally. Her hands shook some as she set the laptop down and pulled off her gloves. All of the wolves reacted to the smell of blood coming from her hands. Stiles set his notebook to the side and reached for her hands. She let him take them and examine them. “Peter said he tried to stop me.” Stiles frowned.</p><p>            “What?” Isaac asked.</p><p>            “I thought Peter was dead?” Erica sighed.</p><p>            “He is,” Lydia agreed. “But he’s also haunting me.”</p><p>            “What exactly happened, Lydia?” Stiles asked. </p><p>            “I don’t know. I don’t remember doing anything. I woke up late to my mirror shattered and my hands covered in blood,” Lydia said. “Peter was there and said he tried to stop me but couldn’t affect the physical world. He said something about banshee awakenings being painful.” Stiles turned her hands over carefully. </p><p>            “Stiles,” Isaac warned, fixing his eyes on Stiles’ hand which had taken on a red glow.</p><p>            “We need to figure out more about banshees, and we don’t even know which section to look in to start going through the files,” Stiles sighed, letting her hands go. “Did Allison tell you about our discussion?” Lydia shook her head. “All right, well, we have a plan for tomorrow during the game to see if we can find the Argent bestiary, since, without a decryption key from your shadow, decoding the Hale bestiary will take too long. Other people could die and there’s no telling what’s happening to you.”</p><p>            “Derek’s not gonna like that,” Erica said.</p><p>            “I know. I don’t like it either, but we need all the information we can find if we want people to stop turning up dead,” Stiles insisted.</p><p>            “I’ll keep going through the index and cataloging the file names like we’ve been doing,” Lydia declared. “You should be learning as much as you can about your magic.” She glared at him while gesturing at the books he hadn’t really touched since the first day he’d brought them home. “At least that way, one of us will know what’s going on.” Stiles frowned at her, but he could understand where she was coming from. He knew what he was and he had a way to control it. Lydia couldn’t control what was happening to her so she was trying to force control on everybody else like she usually did. Stiles nodded and reached for the book he’d left off on a few days ago. Lydia nodded her approval and booted up the laptop. </p><p>            “Homework,” Stiles said, looking up at Erica and Isaac. Isaac rolled his eyes and pulled his chemistry textbook out of his bag. Erica pouted, but Stiles just glared at her until she also rolled her eyes and retrieved her homework. That’s where Derek found them half an hour later when he came home and tried to speed through the living room. Stiles looked up when he entered and the Alpha was almost to the stairs before he caught the scent. “Why do you smell like Scott?” he asked. Derek grimaced as he stopped moving. He dropped the duffel bag he’d been holding on the floor and turned to the teens crowded in the living room. The Alpha glared at Lydia who huffed and rolled her eyes.</p><p>            “I’ll be upstairs,” she said, leaving the laptop and notebook, but taking her phone. “Have your pack discussion, but just know I have ways of finding out what’s happening.” She flicked her hair and strutted up the stairs. </p><p>            “You know, she’s probably just going to call Allison to find out what happened with Scott,” Stiles said, once she was gone.</p><p>            “She can stay once she’s pack,” Derek grumbled. He stepped deeper into the room but didn’t say anything. Stiles noticed that there was a faint scent of blood on Derek’s hands and felt his stomach drop.</p><p>            “So, what did happen with Scott?” Erica asked. </p><p>            “Who got hurt?” Stiles asked. The other two betas stiffened and looked over at him, but his eyes were fixed on Derek.</p><p>            “Scott. He confronted me outside my house. He threatened our pack and wouldn’t stay down until he was bleeding,” Derek said carefully. Stiles felt a twist of emotion shifting in him. On the one hand, he was glad that Derek hadn’t gotten hurt. On the other, Scott was still important to him, even with everything the other teen had done, and he didn’t want Scott to be hurt. “You need to stay together if you see him. And keep an eye out for anything suspicious. He was threatening to tell the Argents about us. With Jackson out there killing people, it would be easy even for hunters who follow the code to justify killing all of us.”</p><p>            “You’re definitely not going to like Stiles’ plan then,” Erica declared. Stiles glared at her, but she just grinned innocently.</p><p>            “What. plan.”</p><p>            “Well, uh, we’re not getting anywhere fast with the Hale bestiary and Allison was saying she wants to help so I figured that it would be a good test to see if we could trust her if we used her to help us find the Argent bestiary, since, being hunters, they probably have one,” Stiles said quickly. </p><p>            “Stiles,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “Before you start yelling and growling, it’s a good plan and she has proven that she’s not as crazy as the rest of her family. Plus, if she does prove herself, then we have an ally in the hunter community that won’t kill us on sight and someone who can keep an eye on Scott to make sure he doesn’t go full-on feral before we can find him a pack.” Stiles rubbed his neck. “Besides, it’s not like anything else we’ve tried has found much of anything. We know it’s Jackson killing people. We know he’s some kind of shifter, but there are dozens of different shifters in the index and we don’t have any way to stop Jackson while we’re trying to figure it out. If this works, it’s a shortcut.” </p><p>            Derek glared at him a moment longer before letting out a frustrated sigh. “And what exactly is your plan?”</p><p>            “Tomorrow during the game Allison is going to steal Gerard’s keys and get them to me since I don’t play so that I can check his office for the bestiary. If we don’t find it there, we’ll figure something else out, but we will know that Allison really does want to help,” Stiles explained.</p><p>            “You aren’t going in there alone.”</p><p>            “Well, it’ll look odd if Isaac isn’t on the field ‘cause he does play sometimes, but I guess Erica could come with me.” Stiles shrugged.</p><p>            “Sure thing Batman,” Erica said with a grin. She flicked out her claws and looked up at Derek.</p><p>            “Erica and I will both be with you,” Derek decided.</p><p>            “Fine. Sourwolf, Catwoman, and Batman will break into the principal’s office. Happy?” Stiles arched an eyebrow.</p><p>            “I’m never happy, Red,” Derek deadpanned. Then he grabbed his bag and disappeared into the basement.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Do You Trust Me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, look at that. A quick update. How OOC of me.<br/>Told y'all I was enjoying writing this right now.<br/>Also, I want y'all to know that the last three chapters were all drafted under the title 'the pool scene' and it hasn't happened yet. I keep going to write it and realizing there was more groundwork needed to get there. Well, I finally got there.<br/>Kinda.<br/>Oh well.</p><p>Let me know what you think and I'll try not to leave you hanging out too long.</p><p>I thrive off y'all’s kudos and comments. Thank y'all so much for the response to this so far.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Allison met up with Scott in the cafeteria, sitting with her back to him. Scott leaned back carefully; eyes fixed on the entrance. “I need your help,” Scott said quietly.</p><p>            “I have to be careful Scott. If they catch us, they’ll kill you. Especially with my granddad here,” Allison whispered, knowing Scott would be able to hear her even over the chatter around them.</p><p>            “I need to figure out what’s killing people. Deaton says that it’s not a werewolf. It’s something else,” Scott continued like he hadn’t heard her. </p><p>            Allison sighed. “He doesn’t know what it is?”</p><p>            “No, but he knows where we can find out. He said that your family keeps a record of everything they ever fought. All the things they’ve hunted. Like a book.”</p><p>            “A bestiary?”</p><p>            “What?”</p><p>            “A bestiary.”</p><p>            Scott let out a snort. “I think you mean bestiality.” </p><p>            Allison rolled her eyes, suddenly having a deep understanding of how Stiles felt having dealt with her similar reaction. “No, I really don’t. A bestiary is an encyclopedia of mythical creatures,” Allison said, repeating what she had found when she searched the word after talking to Stiles. Just to be sure.</p><p>            “How am I the only one who seems to not know anything about this stuff?” Scott groaned. Allison chuckled at his outburst.</p><p>            “Anyways, did he say what it would look like?”</p><p>            “No, but it’s probably old. You said your family’s been at this for over a century. So maybe leatherbound?” Scott sounded like he was frowning. “Have you ever seen anything like that?”</p><p>            Allison bit her lip. “I think I’ve seen my grandfather with something like that. But I don’t think I can get it.” She knew she couldn’t on her own, so it wasn’t a lie. She just wasn’t telling Scott that she was already planning on helping Stiles get it that night.</p><p>            “We’ll figure something out,” Scott declared. He reached for her hand and gave it a small squeeze. Allison squeezed back but was starting to believe that maybe this relationship really wasn’t worth the risk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Derek hated the plan.  He hated trusting any Argent, even the youngest. But people were dying and they were having no luck finding anything in the Hale Bestiary. Stiles was right. It was a short cut and they needed to take it. He was waiting in the school with Erica for Stiles to get the keys. Erica’s phone vibrated a few minutes after the start of the last quarter. “Lydia says Stiles is on his way,” she said. </p><p>            “Keep your senses open. Remember. Hunters aren’t the only thing we have to worry about,” Derek said. Erica nodded with a smirk. “I’m serious. Just because you’re a werewolf now, it does not make you invincible.” </p><p>            “I got it, Derek.” She looked away, but Derek knew she was rolling her eyes. He held back a growl. She’d learn soon enough that it doesn’t matter how strong or smart you are. There’s always someone, or something stronger or smarter than you. Stiles jogged down the hallway towards them a moment later.</p><p>            “I got the keys,” he said. Derek expected to see him grinning, but was surprised to see a serious look on the teen’s face. “There were seven minutes left on the board so we need to get in and out quick before he notices his keys are gone.” He kept moving down the hall toward the main office.</p><p>            “How did Allison get the keys?” Erica asked as they followed him.</p><p>            “She pretended to be cold and he lent her his jacket, which had the keys in the pocket. It was a smooth move. He didn’t notice.” Stiles stopped when he got to the office door and unlocked it quickly. “Remember we could be looking for anything. A book or a computer file. A hidden hard drive. Anything. I’ll check the computer.”</p><p>            “Erica watch the door,” Derek ordered. Erica gave a little salute and stepped back into the hallway. Derek rolled his eyes and started searching the office for anything that looked like the bestiary. Stiles was already typing on the computer, but the grimace on his face said he hadn’t found what he was looking for. Derek couldn’t find any trace of anything that could be the bestiary. Stiles let out a growl and powered down the computer. </p><p>            “Nothing on here. Any luck?” Stiles looked over at Derek.</p><p>            “Nothing that could be the bestiary,” Derek sighed.</p><p>            “Uh guys, I think I hear something,” Erica called out quietly. Derek and Stiles tilled and listened. There were quiet clicks moving towards them slowly.</p><p>            “Time to go,” Derek decided. Stiles nodded and went to grab the keys from the door. He tossed them to Erica after the office was closed and locked.</p><p>            “Get those back to Allison,” Stiles ordered. Erica nodded and darted back towards the lacrosse field. Derek raised his eyebrows. “It’ll look weird if I go near Allison again. Just in case Gerard noticed anything the first time.” Suddenly Erica let out a yell. Instantly, both Derek and Stiles were running towards the noise. They saw Erica lying unconscious on the ground and the lizard creature Derek had seen outside Jackson’s house crouched over her. “Hey!” Stiles yelled. It looked over at them with a snarl. Derek spared a second to glare at Stiles before dragging him away from the creature towards the pool.</p><p>            “We need to run,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “But Erica,” Stiles said, resisting the grip Derek had on his sweats. The creature let out a growl behind them and Derek could hear it chasing them.</p><p>            “She’ll be fine. It’s following us.” He glanced back over at Stiles. “Because someone thought it was a good idea to yell at it.” </p><p>            “I didn’t see you having any other ideas!” They reached the pool room headed for the door on the other side, but the creature screeched at them and used the wall to jump around them and cut them off.</p><p>            Derek shoved Stiles towards the pool, turning his back to the creature. “Stiles, run!” he ordered. Stiles staggered back a few feet. Derek felt something slice across his neck.</p><p>            “Derek,” Stiles said, stepping back towards Derek. “Your neck.” Derek reached up for his neck as he felt his legs going numb. He stumbled and Stiles was instantly on his side, slipping his arm around the teen’s shoulders. Stiles dragged the Alpha along as Derek lost all ability to move. “Come on, big guy. Where is it?”</p><p>            “Don’t know. Call your dad,” Derek grunted.</p><p>            “My dad?” Stiles snapped, letting Derek slip a little. Derek let out a growl.</p><p>            “Yes, Stiles. Unless you think Scott’s going to help us.” Derek forced his eyes to flare red, but since he couldn’t move the rest of his body it didn’t have the same effect as usual. The creature let out a roar from somewhere behind them and Stiles, who hadn’t stopped moving around the pool, gulped.</p><p>            “Right. Calling dad.” He tried to pull out his phone but he lost his grip on Derek. Derek let out a yell as he fell into the pool.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Can I Call A Friend?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello!<br/>It's me again! And I bring you the long-awaited pool scene!</p><p>I hope you're enjoying it. </p><p>I cannot tell you how much it means to me that y'all are still reading and commenting on this. It's amazing! Thank y'all so much! </p><p>&lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Scott had been good at the game. Too good. Allison swore she almost threw up when Gerard asked Scott to come to dinner. When they had come in, both her parents looked up at him with wide eyes. Allison could see her mom calculating how quickly she could get to the large kitchen knife on the opposite counter. At the table, she clocked her dad reaching for his gun twice. Gerard seemed oblivious. Allison was struggling to keep calm, Scott's presence adding to an already stressful evening since she hadn’t heard from Stiles or anyone else in Derek’s pack since she handed off the keys. She discreetly pulled out her phone and sent a text to Isaac.</p><p> </p><p>TO ISAAC: Any updates on our history project?</p><p> </p><p>Allison hoped that Isaac would understand what she was asking about. </p><p> </p><p>FROM ISAAC: Nope. I can’t get a hold of the rest of the group.</p><p>TO ISAAC: Maybe they need help</p><p>FROM ISAAC: Not from you. Ttyl</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Stiles watched Derek sink under the water in shock. He glanced at his phone, which had skidded along the side of the pool, then back at Derek and made a decision. Stiles dove in after his Alpha. He pulled Derek to the surface and adjusted his grip until both their heads were above water. “Do you see it?” Stiles gasped.</p><p>            Derek let out a cough, looking around as much as he could. “No.”</p><p>            “Okay, maybe it took off,” Stiles said hopefully. Instantly, a loud roar sounded through the room.</p><p>            “Maybe not,” Derek said. Stiles let out a huff and adjusted his grip some so that it was easier to keep the Alpha afloat. He had never been so grateful to be a werewolf before because he knew that if he had still been human there was no way he could hold out long enough for Derek to get movement back. Even with his new werewolf strength, he wasn’t sure. Stiles continued treading water twisting around every so often, trying to get a good look at the lizard. “Stiles! Get me out of here before I drown,” Derek growled.</p><p>            “You’re worried about drowning?” Stiles huffed. “Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of teeth that can paralyze an Alpha werewolf?” Stiles felt his eyes flash but took a deep breath and tamped down his wolf. Now was not the time to lose control. Derek didn’t respond to that so Stile kept trying to twist around to find Jackson the lizard. “Okay, I’m not seeing lizard boy.”</p><p>            “Wait, wait, wait. Stop,” Derek snapped. Stiles did as he was told, stopping when he saw the lizard. It was hovering at the end of the pool. It crept closer and let out a hiss.</p><p>            “What’s it waiting for?” Stiles wondered.</p><p> </p><p>            Lydia was pacing her room, trying to decide if it was time to call the Sheriff and tell him about their plan when Peter appeared. He was frowning at her, looking at the phone in disapproval. “I don’t have any other options,” she snapped. Peter let out a sigh. </p><p>            “And you think a human would be able to help against a shifter gone wrong?” Peter replied tightly. Lydia let out a very human growl and threw the phone down on her bed. “Peace, little banshee. They will be fine. They’re a pack, after all.”</p><p>            “What do you know about pack? All you did was kill people.” She glared at him and he had the decency to look guilty.</p><p>            “Before the fire, I was in my sister’s pack. And as much as I liked to cause trouble, I would never have gone so far as I did after the fire. If you would allow me the opportunity to explain someday, perhaps you would understand the true nature of a powerful pack. Something like what Talia had. What Derek is trying to build.” Peter sighed wistfully. Lydia glared at him. “Pack is something you cannot understand until you have one. If you help me, I’m sure Derek will let you join soon.” </p><p>            “Why are you even here?” Lydia asked, tears stinging her eyes as she refused to cry. “What did you bite me for?”</p><p>            Peter’s eyes softened. “I had a brilliant plan. Or so I thought. One of revenge that would eventually allow me to reestablish the Hale Pack. Looking back, it was inevitable that I would fail. I wasn’t in my right mind and I underestimated my opponents. I was, however, just sane enough to lay in a backup plan.” He grimaced. “Biting you.” </p><p>            “Me.”</p><p>            “Yes, Lydia, you. Your banshee heritage created the perfect way to allow me to come back.”</p><p>            “You want me to resurrect you.” Lydia stared at him with wide eyes. </p><p>            Peter nodded. “At this point, that is the only way you will ever be rid of me. My soul is tied to you.” Lydia looked at him and felt the urge to scream. “But I won’t force you to. Nor will I be in any state to defend myself if you resurrect me. So, you could theoretically bring me back to life just to kill me all over again. Obviously, I’d prefer it if you didn’t. But I couldn’t very well stop you.”</p><p>            “You’re saying, that if I want you to stop haunting me, I have to bring you back from the dead.”</p><p>            “That is the crux of it.”</p><p>            “Fuck you.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            “Okay, I’m not sure how much longer I can do this,” Stiles huffed. It had been over an hour and he was getting tired. Werewolf or not, Derek was heavy and Stiles knew he would run out of steam before Derek got movement back. Especially since the only thing Stiles had seen Derek moving for the last hour was his head.</p><p>            “You have to,” Derek grumbled, clearly not any happier about the situation than Stiles. Stiles let out a quiet growl and rearranged his hold on Derek. </p><p>            “Can you move anything?” Stiles snapped, trying to think of a plan. Derek didn’t respond, which Stiles took to mean ‘no, but I’m not going to say it. Stiles twisted them again, keeping one eye on Jackson as he looked around for a plan. His eyes landed on his phone. </p><p>            “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”</p><p>            “Trust me, Alpha,” Stiles said. Derek hesitated a moment before nodding slightly Stiles changed his grip so that Derek’s arm was slung over his shoulder and he had a free hand. Then he summoned up his spark. He focused on his phone and stretched out his hand, putting all his willpower into wishing the phone to his hand. It was a basic spell and he’d been working on it the night before and had managed to move a pencil. It had accidentally stabbed the ceiling instead of moving to the cup he was aiming for but the spell had worked. Anyways, Stiles always worked better under pressure. It was his thing.</p><p>            “What are you doing?” Derek asked, eying Stiles’ now glowing hand. Stiles tuned him out and focused harder. The phone lifted off the ground slightly, scooting towards the edge of the pool.</p><p>            “Come on. Come on!” Stiles’ eyes flared blue and suddenly the phone was flying into his hand. “Ha! Yes! Score one for the Spark!” Jackson hissed at them and Stiles stuck out his tongue. “Suck it Lizard Breath!”</p><p>            “Stiles.” Derek looked up at the ceiling exasperated. “Call your dad. Now.” He looked back at Stiles and flashed his eyes.</p><p>            “Alright, Sourwolf. Take it easy.” Stiles dialed the number, ignoring the new wave of exhaustion that swept through him. They were going to need help sooner rather than later. Stiles hoped that his Dad answered the phone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Can we be excused for a moment?” Scott asked nervously. Allison tensed up further. This whole dinner was already pushing their luck. What was he thinking?! “I just remember there are some notes from English I need to get from Allison.”</p><p>            “I don’t think that’s appropriate,” her dad said tightly. </p><p>            Gerard rolled his eyes. “Seriously. I’m supposed to be the conservative one. Go!” Gerard said with a slight smirk. Both of her parents grimaced, but Scott was already moving so Allison followed him upstairs.</p><p>            “Does Gerard have a safe?” Scott asked as soon as they were out of earshot.</p><p>            “What?” Allison frowned. “Scott, what are you doing? They’re going to know something is wrong and then they’re going to kill you.”</p><p>            “I need to find that book, Allison. It’s the only way to stop the killings,” he insisted.</p><p>            “Scott, maybe we should just let Derek and his pack figure this out. Or leave it for Gerard. This is a big risk with all of them in the house right now.”</p><p>            “This is my responsibility, Allison. Derek’s pack is just as bad as the hunters. I have to be the one to do this. Do you know if he has a safe?”</p><p>            “No, Scott. I don’t know if he has a safe. I do know that you need to leave before you get yourself killed.” Allison crossed her arms. “And we should probably not meet for a few days. Just to make sure they don’t expect anything.” She backed up and headed back down the stairs to the dining room.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            There are a lot of calls Sheriff Noah Stilinski is always ready to get. He’s ready to be called into work at all hours of the day. He’s ready to be told Stiles is in the hospital or jail. And he’s ready to be called by Stiles at any hour of the day when his jeep inevitably breaks down again. One call he is not ready for is the call he’s getting. When the Sheriff saw that it was Stiles calling, he was immediately on edge. Especially after the recent revelations about the supernatural and his son’s new condition. He sat up straighter at his desk, praying that he wasn’t about to see his deputies rushing out the door. “Stiles, tell me no one’s dead,” Noah said as he answered the call.</p><p>            “Not yet,” Stiles replied briskly. Noah could hear the strain in his voice and the sounds of water in the background of the call.</p><p>            “What’s going on?”</p><p>            “Well, we had this plan and it was a good plan. Actually, the plan almost worked so it was a really good plan in comparison to other plans we’ve had recently,” Stiles rambled, the stress and exhaustion of whatever plan he was talking about clearly having gotten to him.</p><p>            “Stiles!” And that was Derek Hale cutting him off. This wasn’t good.</p><p>            “Long story-that-I’m-sure-you’ll-ask-for-later short, Derek and I are trapped at the school by Jackson who is currently a giant lizard. Derek is paralyzed from the neck down and I’ve been holding him up treading water for the last hour or so. Erica’s currently unconscious in the hallway, possibly also paralyzed since she hasn’t woken up yet. So you and Isaac are our only options. Well, or Scott, but he’s just as likely to let us drown.”</p><p>            The Sheriff closed his eyes and counted to ten. “Stiles, the next time you or anyone else in this pack go out on some crazy supernatural mission, tell me before you’re staring the barrel of a gun.”</p><p>            “It’s a lizard, not a gun,” Stiles said flatly. “Also, Daddio, you might want to hurry. I did magic to get my phone since I dropped it before we ended up in the pool and I didn’t want to let Derek drown to get it. But since I’m pretty new at the whole magic thing, it may have drained me a little. Or a lot. It was more energy than I expected to use.”</p><p>            “I’m on my way Stiles,” Noah declared as he unlocked the weapons lock up at the Station. At the same time, Derek let out a growl in the background. “Do you think a heavy-duty tranquilizer will work on Jackson?”</p><p>            “Don’t know. Worth a shot. Bullets probably won’t do much. Not the normal ones anyway.” Stiles’ breathing sounded labored. </p><p>            “All right. Just hang on kid.” Noah heard the line cut off and he looked down at his phone to guarantee the call had ended. “Crap.” He grabbed the strongest tranquilizers he could find and rushed to his squad car. </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>